Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets US green light
4 years ago

Over-the-counter home test for COVID-19 gets US green light

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The first home test for COVID-19 that doesn’t require a prescription will soon be on U.S. store shelves. Regulators granted emergency use for a similar home test last month, but that one needs a doctor’s prescription. The agency’s action Tuesday allows sales in places like drugstores “where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, in a statement. Like other tests that scan for proteins, FDA officials noted that Ellume’s test can deliver a small percentage of false positive and false negative results.

Health Test Tests Testing Ellume  require  swab  overthecounter  gets  tests  nasal  science  test  green  results  health  light  covid19  testing

History of this topic

Is it the flu or is it COVID? One at-home test can tell you
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Is it the flu or is it COVID? One at-home test can tell you

NPR  

Is it the flu or is it COVID? One at-home test can tell you toggle caption iHealth Labs, Inc With the flu season getting underway, and COVID-19 still circulating, if you get sick you might wonder: 'Which virus got me this time?' For the first time, new home tests — available at pharmacies without a prescription — can test for …

The US is mailing Americans COVID tests again. Here’s how to get them
3 months, 1 week ago

The US is mailing Americans COVID tests again. Here’s how to get them

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Americans can once again order COVID-19 tests, without being charged, sent straight to their homes. The website has been reopened on the heels of a summer COVID-19 virus wave and heading into the fall and winter respiratory virus season, with health officials urging Americans to get an updated COVID-19 vaccine and their yearly flu shot. U.S. regulators approved …

Free COVID tests are back. Here's how to order a test to your home
3 months, 1 week ago

Free COVID tests are back. Here's how to order a test to your home

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Americans can once again order …

Free COVID tests are back. Here’s how to get yours
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Free COVID tests are back. Here’s how to get yours

LA Times  

The federal government will again send out free COVID testing kits to anyone who requests them. Coronavirus infections have come roaring back this year, prompting the Biden administration to renew one of its earliest responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Free at-home test kits delivered via the mail. If you don’t want to wait for the tests to come by mail, …

Government announces more COVID-19 tests can be ordered through mail for no cost
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Government announces more COVID-19 tests can be ordered through mail for no cost

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — On the heels of a summer wave of COVID-19 cases, Americans will be able to get free virus test kits mailed to their homes, starting in late September. U.S. households will be able to order up to four COVID-19 nasal swab tests when the federal program reopens, according to the website, COVIDtests.gov. The announcement also comes as the …

California relaxes COVID isolation guidance. What you need to know
11 months, 2 weeks ago

California relaxes COVID isolation guidance. What you need to know

LA Times  

With COVID-19 no longer the widespread public health emergency it was in years past, public health officials at both the state and Los Angeles County levels have relaxed their guidance on how long individuals need to isolate from others after they are infected. Under guidelines revised this month, officials at the California and county departments of public health now say …

Sick with COVID and the flu: Double infections hit California hard
1 year ago

Sick with COVID and the flu: Double infections hit California hard

LA Times  

California’s hospitals are getting busier with more COVID-19 and flu patients, some of whom are suffering from both viruses at the same time. L.A. County’s entry into the “medium” COVID-19 hospitalization category has prompted local public health officials to order hospitals, nursing homes and any other inpatient facility to require healthcare employees mask up while in patient-care areas. Multiple tests …

Masks, social distancing back on as schools fear Covid-19 disruption
1 year ago

Masks, social distancing back on as schools fear Covid-19 disruption

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: Safety precautions to combat the spread of Coronavirus are being reinforced at many educational institutions following reports of a spike in cases in Kerala and Karnataka, while five new infections in Hyderabad took the count of active cases to 14. Authorities are issuing advisories urging students and staff to practice social distancing, ensure mask discipline, avoid group gatherings, undergo …

More free COVID-19 tests from the government are available for home delivery through the mail
1 year, 1 month ago

More free COVID-19 tests from the government are available for home delivery through the mail

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery. The U.S. government is offering to send another round of four at-home virus tests ahead of the typical surge in cases during the winter holiday season. The new release of free COVID-19 nasal swab tests also comes ahead of the first winter since the pandemic started that …

More free, at-home Covid-19 tests available for US residents through government
1 year, 1 month ago

More free, at-home Covid-19 tests available for US residents through government

CNN  

CNN — US households are now eligible to order an additional four at-home Covid-19 tests — free of cost — through the government. As of Monday, residential households in the US can submit an order through Covidtests.gov for four individual rapid antigen Covid-19 tests. Residents who haven’t placed an order since the program reopened can place two orders, which will …

US government issues new COVID-19 guidelines for households, free rapid tests
1 year, 3 months ago

US government issues new COVID-19 guidelines for households, free rapid tests

Hindustan Times  

United States has restarted its free Covid test program. As per the latest update, four more free COVID-19 rapid tests per household, can be ordered from the official website of the United States government- COVIDTests.gov. COVID-19 antigen home tests The free COVID-19 rapid tests, are aimed to help uninsured individuals and underserved communities. According to the information available on the …

Do Covid tests work after they expire? Here’s what to know
1 year, 3 months ago

Do Covid tests work after they expire? Here’s what to know

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I am concerned that people will not abide by recommendations—and we’re not talking about mandates …

Free COVID-19 home tests are back for US households, Here's how to order yours online
1 year, 3 months ago

Free COVID-19 home tests are back for US households, Here's how to order yours online

Hindustan Times  

The US Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that it will resume a program that offers free Covid-19 home tests to Americans. The Biden administration has announced that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household. …

Biden government to deliver free COVID tests again to US households
1 year, 3 months ago

Biden government to deliver free COVID tests again to US households

Live Mint  

The US Department of Health and Human Services said on September 20 that it will deliver COVID-19 tests for free to households across the country, reported Reuters. The health agency said that starting from September 25, households will again have the option to request four free tests via COVIDTests.gov. The HHS further said that these tests are designed to identify …

Covid-19: US households will be able to order more free tests starting Monday
1 year, 3 months ago

Covid-19: US households will be able to order more free tests starting Monday

CNN  

CNN — The US government will relaunch a program to provide free Covid-19 home tests to Americans, US Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday. Becerra said HHS’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response “has been resupplying our stockpile.” The tests coming available soon are intended for use through the end of 2023 and will include instructions on how …

U.S. announces $600 million to produce COVID tests and will reopen website for orders
1 year, 3 months ago

U.S. announces $600 million to produce COVID tests and will reopen website for orders

LA Times  

The Biden administration is providing $600 million to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is resurrecting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household. The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up …

FDA authorises first ever flu-Covid home test
1 year, 10 months ago

FDA authorises first ever flu-Covid home test

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home test, which can …

Free at-home COVID tests, delivered by mail, ending this week
2 years, 4 months ago

Free at-home COVID tests, delivered by mail, ending this week

LA Times  

Boxes of iHealth COVID-19 antigen rapid test kits, provided by the state of California, are ready for parents to pick up at Tulita Elementary School in Redondo Beach on Jan. 6. Suspending the offering, which the COVID.gov website says is “because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile,” will remove one convenient testing option even as federal …

FDA: Take 3 home tests if exposed to COVID to boost accuracy
2 years, 4 months ago

FDA: Take 3 home tests if exposed to COVID to boost accuracy

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — If you were exposed to COVID-19, take three home tests instead of two to make sure you’re not infected, according to new U.S. recommendations released Thursday. Previously, the Food and Drug Administration had advised taking two rapid antigen tests over two or three days to rule out infection. Thursday’s update reflects the evolving understanding of the accuracy of …

More free COVID rapid tests are available. Here’s how to get yours
2 years, 7 months ago

More free COVID rapid tests are available. Here’s how to get yours

LA Times  

According to the CDC, rapid tests do a good job detecting COVID-19 in someone who is showing symptoms of the disease, such as a cough, a fever or a sore throat. Response to the administration’s previous offer of free kits wasn’t exactly overwhelming, though — according to the White House, more than 70 million households ordered kits online, out of …

Saliva testing for Covid-19 quicker, safer than nasal swabs: Study
2 years, 9 months ago

Saliva testing for Covid-19 quicker, safer than nasal swabs: Study

Hindustan Times  

According to a study led by the American Society for Microbiology, saliva samples can identify Covid-19 more quickly than testing with nasal swabs. The findings have implications for improving public acceptance of Covid-19 testing, reducing the cost of mass Covid-19 screening and improving the safety of healthcare workers who conduct testing. "That made us wonder whether saliva was better for …

FAQs about antigen self-testing for COVID-19
2 years, 9 months ago

FAQs about antigen self-testing for COVID-19

China Daily  

China has approved COVID-19 antigen testing as a supplementary means to improve early detection, and 10 domestically made antigen kits have been allowed for home use. There are three groups of people who can use the antigen test kits: - Those who visit grassroots medical institutions within 5 days of having respiratory symptoms or fever, - Those who are under …

New Biden pandemic plan: Closer to normal for the nation
2 years, 10 months ago

New Biden pandemic plan: Closer to normal for the nation

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — It’s time for America to stop letting the coronavirus “dictate how we live,” President Joe Biden’s White House declared Wednesday, outlining a strategy to allow people to return to many normal activities safely after two years of pandemic disruptions. A White House official said the “test-to-treat” plan would initially roll out in hundreds of pharmacies across the country, …

Medicare opens up access to free at-home COVID-19 tests
2 years, 11 months ago

Medicare opens up access to free at-home COVID-19 tests

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration, seeking to fill a frustrating gap in coverage for COVID-19 tests, Thursday announced that people with Medicare will be able to get free over-the-counter tests much more easily in the coming weeks. Medicare benefits are governed by a host of arcane laws and regulations, and officials said Thursday they were able to arrange for coverage …

Free Covid tests distributed by White House may not be considered valid for travel
2 years, 11 months ago

Free Covid tests distributed by White House may not be considered valid for travel

Daily Mail  

Dr David Weber, an epidemiologist at UNC-Chapel Hill, said that at-home tests distributed by the Biden administration may not be usable for travel requirements Free home COVID tests funded by Joe Biden will likely not be approved to get around existing travel rules because it is too easy to fake a negative result, a health expert has warned. Dr David …

US begins offering 1B free COVID tests, but many more needed
2 years, 11 months ago

US begins offering 1B free COVID tests, but many more needed

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — For the first time, people across the U.S. can log on to a government website and order free, at-home COVID-19 tests. “The playbook for rapid tests should look exactly like the playbook for vaccines,” said Zoe McLaren, a health economist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. While private companies are now producing more than 250 million at-home …

US Begins Offering Free Covid-19 Test Kits, but Doubts Persist
2 years, 11 months ago

US Begins Offering Free Covid-19 Test Kits, but Doubts Persist

News 18  

For the first time, all Americans can log on to a government website and order free, at-home COVID-19 tests. While private companies are now producing more than 250 million at-home tests per month, that is still not enough to allow most Americans to frequently test themselves. The U.S. would need 2.3 billion tests per month for all teens and adults …

US launches website to provide free at-home COVID tests
2 years, 11 months ago

US launches website to provide free at-home COVID tests

Al Jazeera  

With a new website, launched one day ahead of the official date, Americans can order up to four free test kits per household. People in the United States can now order free COVID-19 test kits online, as the White House moves to boost testing capacity amid a surge in coronavirus infections linked to the Omicron variant. The programme initially will …

5 things to know about ordering free COVID tests
2 years, 11 months ago

5 things to know about ordering free COVID tests

LA Times  

The federal government has created a website to order at-home COVID-19 tests. Here’s what you need to know about ordering at-home COVID-19 tests through the federal government’s website: 1. Think a few weeks down the road President Biden announced last month that his administration will push to deliver 500 million at-home tests amid criticism over his pandemic response and strained …

More free rapid COVID tests are coming. Here’s what we know so far
2 years, 11 months ago

More free rapid COVID tests are coming. Here’s what we know so far

LA Times  

Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW is one of at least 14 at-home antigen COVID-19 tests authorized for over-the-counter sale by the Food and Drug Administration. The Biden administration announced Monday that insurers will be required to cover the cost of rapid home COVID tests for their customers, starting Saturday. People with insurance can also order free test kits from COVIDTests.gov, the administration …

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday
2 years, 11 months ago

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. “By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding Americans’ ability to get tests for free when they need them.” Biden announced the federal requirement late last year, and it …

List of at home Covid-19 self-testing kits: How to use and all you need to know about
2 years, 11 months ago

List of at home Covid-19 self-testing kits: How to use and all you need to know about

India Today  

The demand for at-home self-testing kits has gone up amid the rising cases of the new variant. List of at home Covid-19 self-testing kits approved by ICMR Mylab CoviSelf: This kit is available online and the starting price is Rs 250. List of at home COVID-19 self-testing Kits: Steps for how to use Find a clean sanitised surface to place …

How to get insurance to pay for at-home COVID tests, according to the White House
2 years, 11 months ago

How to get insurance to pay for at-home COVID tests, according to the White House

NPR  

How to get insurance to pay for at-home COVID tests, according to the White House Enlarge this image toggle caption David Dermer/AP David Dermer/AP Starting Wednesday, Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 tests online from the Biden administration, in a plan outlined last week. Insurance companies and health plans are now required to cover eight free over-the-counter at-home …

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday
2 years, 11 months ago

Home COVID tests to be covered by insurers starting Saturday

LA Times  

A worker picks up two at-home COVID-19 test kits to be handed out during a distribution event in Youngstown, Ohio, on Dec. 30. Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover up to eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. “By requiring private health plans to cover people’s at-home tests, we are further expanding …

Why are rapid tests for COVID-19 in such short supply?
3 years ago

Why are rapid tests for COVID-19 in such short supply?

LA Times  

Boxes of BinaxNow home COVID-19 tests made by Abbott are shown for sale in November at a CVS store in Lakewood, Wash. Is that tickle in your nose COVID-19, or just a cold? Abbott Laboratories, which makes the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test, expects to produce 70 million tests this month and is working to raise that to 100 million, said …

Free at-home COVID tests from L.A. County on pause for now
3 years ago

Free at-home COVID tests from L.A. County on pause for now

LA Times  

With the Omicron coronavirus variant spreading rapidly and COVID-19 infections surging, you might find yourself waiting in a long line to get tested at a clinic or pharmacy, or scouring store shelves and websites for rapid testing kits — which are as hard to find as a newly introduced game console. There has been one more option for L.A. County …

Infographic: COVID testing for international travel
3 years ago

Infographic: COVID testing for international travel

Al Jazeera  

Passengers travelling internationally this December holiday season will have to negotiate the latest COVID travel regulations. Many countries and airlines require passengers to present a negative PCR test result within 48-72 hours before boarding a flight. Types of COVID tests PCR test The polymerase chain reaction test is considered the gold standard for diagnosing viruses and bacteria. In the US, …

Finding a Covid-19 test is a struggle right now in the US as Omicron and holiday plans collide
3 years ago

Finding a Covid-19 test is a struggle right now in the US as Omicron and holiday plans collide

CNN  

CNN — With coronavirus cases surging once again, frustrated Americans are struggling to get tested days before Christmas as long lines and increased demand overwhelm some facilities across the country. People who have been previously infected with Covid-19 and remain unvaccinated “should not assume that have protection against Omicron,” US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Tuesday. As to whether …

Demand for rapid at-home COVID-19 tests is so high, pharmacies are rationing
3 years ago

Demand for rapid at-home COVID-19 tests is so high, pharmacies are rationing

LA Times  

One highly sought-after item to prepare for safer holiday gatherings is frustratingly hard to find — at-home rapid COVID-19 tests. Sax said he wouldn’t visit his parents if he had any signs of a respiratory illness, such as a scratchy throat, even if the rapid test results showed a negative result. “I would not go visit grandma with a respiratory …

COVID-19 tests are in high demand with the winter surge. Here’s how to get them
3 years ago

COVID-19 tests are in high demand with the winter surge. Here’s how to get them

LA Times  

Rapid COVID-19 test kits, such as this one from Lucira, can be ordered online. “If you’re going to be indoors, you all should be testing before you show up at that gathering,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has said. Testing sites Here is information on getting tested: Los Angeles County Los Angeles city Long Beach Pasadena Orange …

New hurdle for COVID-19 home testing -- the holiday season
3 years, 1 month ago

New hurdle for COVID-19 home testing -- the holiday season

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Millions more home tests for COVID-19 are hitting store shelves, but will there be enough for Americans hoping to screen themselves before holiday gatherings? White House officials say the U.S. is on pace to have about 200 million home tests per month by December, quadrupling the number from this summer. Market leader Abbott says it is back to …

At-home COVID tests could make holiday reunions with family safer. Here’s how
3 years, 1 month ago

At-home COVID tests could make holiday reunions with family safer. Here’s how

LA Times  

Even with nearly 63% of Californians fully vaccinated, some public health officials worry that big gatherings this holiday season could lead to big outbreaks of COVID-19. Only two of the three approved home molecular tests — the Lucira CHECK-IT kit and the Cue Health kit — are available now online, and they’re pricey: Amazon sells Lucira’s for $89 per test, …

Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer?
3 years, 1 month ago

Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer?

Associated Press  

Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer? Yes, combined with vaccination, home test kits for COVID-19 can add a layer of safety and reassurance by providing on-the-spot results during this second year of pandemic holidays. “We will be using rapid tests to doublecheck everybody before we gather together,” says Dr. Emily Volk, president of the College of American Pathologists, …

US falls behind on at-home Covid tests
3 years, 2 months ago

US falls behind on at-home Covid tests

CNN  

This is the weekly edition of CNN’s coronavirus newsletter. The National Institutes of Health’s $70 million pledge, announced last week, promises to get more tests onto the market by identifying and encouraging new manufacturers and easing the obstacles in getting the tests approved. A vast, international review of studies published in March found that few antigen tests met the World …

US commits $1 billion access to rapid, at-home Covid tests
3 years, 3 months ago

US commits $1 billion access to rapid, at-home Covid tests

India TV News  

The White House has announced an investment worth $1 billion worth for rapid, at-home coronavirus tests to address ongoing shortages. The move will quadruple the number of tests available to Americans by December, Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, was quoted as saying at a press briefing on Wednesday. "That means, we'll have an available supply of 200 …

The White House will spend an additional $1 billion on rapid at-home COVID tests
3 years, 3 months ago

The White House will spend an additional $1 billion on rapid at-home COVID tests

NPR  

The White House will spend an additional $1 billion on rapid at-home COVID tests Enlarge this image toggle caption Ted S. Warren/AP Ted S. Warren/AP The White House is allocating an additional $1 billion to purchase millions of rapid at-home tests for COVID-19, in response to an ongoing national shortage of these tests. Zients said that Wednesday's action now puts …

As Delta variant surges, so does demand for at-home covid-19 tests
3 years, 4 months ago

As Delta variant surges, so does demand for at-home covid-19 tests

Live Mint  

Demand for at-home Covid-19 tests has risen sharply in recent weeks as the Delta variant surges across the U.S., causing test makers to scramble to keep pace. Much of the Covid-19 diagnostic testing in the U.S. has involved not antigen tests but molecular tests, which detect the virus’s genetic material and typically are processed by laboratories—a more time-consuming process. Demand …

Novel Method to Accurately, Quickly Detect Covid-19 from Phone Swabs
3 years, 6 months ago

Novel Method to Accurately, Quickly Detect Covid-19 from Phone Swabs

News 18  

Researchers have developed a non-invasive and low-cost method that can accurately and rapidly detect COVID-19 using samples taken from the screens of smartphones. The researchers from University College London in the UK analysed swabs from mobile screens rather than directly from people using the method known as Phone Screen Testing. This means not only is it suitable for rollout in …

Covid-19 Swab Samples Can Now be Collected From Your Mobile Screens
3 years, 6 months ago

Covid-19 Swab Samples Can Now be Collected From Your Mobile Screens

News 18  

A team of researchers has developed an accurate, non-invasive, and low-cost method of testing for Covid-19 using samples taken from the screens of mobile phones. The team led by University College London researchers analysed swabs from smartphone screens rather than directly from people, and found that people who tested positive by the regular nasal swabbing PCRs were also positive when …

COVID-19 home test kit approved; symptomatic people testing negative should go for RT-PCR, says ICMR
3 years, 7 months ago

COVID-19 home test kit approved; symptomatic people testing negative should go for RT-PCR, says ICMR

Firstpost  

The ICMR said the RAT kits should be used only on symptomatic individuals and on immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research on Wednesday approved a home-based rapid antigen testing kit for COVID-19, which it advised should be used only on symptomatic individuals and on immediate contacts of laboratory-confirmed positive cases. The country’s …

Discover Related