Yes it is. Like all tests it's not fool proof but the specificity rate is something like 95%.
Anyone know someone who has had the kind of test they give when you have strep or the flu?
Both the flu and strep are commonly detected with antigen tests. Antigen tests for COVID are widely available at pretty much every drug store in the United States. They're faster but less accurate than PCR though.
At what PCR rate is it 95% effective? My State does not track the PCR cycle they are running tests at. There are credible reports that the unvaxxed are having their tests run at 45 cycles, and the vaxxed at 25. The numbers of false positives at 45 are in the high 80% range, and even at 25 the false negatives and positives are in the 30% range.
You need to quit listening and reading mainstream media. So much of what you believe, just isn’t true.