How do home tests for coronavirus work

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Thu, 2020-12-17 10:27 — mike kraft

How do home tests for coronavirus work? Where can I get one? Rapid tests allow people to test themselves at home and know within minutes whether they have the novel coronavirus. They could be a vital component in stanching the spread of the virus. William Wan Washington Post

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized another rapid coronavirus test for home use, this one called Abbott BinaxNOW — the third such test to be authorized in recent weeks. And more home tests are coming, with at least two dozen companies racing to develop versions.

These rapid tests allow people to test themselves at home and know within minutes whether they have the novel coronavirus, which causes the illness covid-19. They could be a vital component in stanching the spread of the virus — especially in the crucial months before most Americans are vaccinated against the pathogen.

But to truly make a difference, experts say, the tests first must become much cheaper and more widely available.

For months, consumers have been able to buy home collection kits. But these are quite different from the new rapid home tests. The older home collection kits usually sell for $110 to $150 at retailers such as Costco, Walmart or at testing companies, including LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics. With collection kits, people swab their nostrils or spit saliva into a vial and send the sample for processing at a lab. The companies say it takes 24 to 48 hours to get results.

What makes the three newly authorized home tests different? Users swab their nostrils and can get results in roughly 15 minutes from the single-use tests. ...

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