As the US enters the fall school season,rapid antigen tests to detect COVID-19are back in the spotlight.
For more on COVID, here’swhat to know about boosters this fallandwhich ones to get.
How do at-home COVID tests work?
At-home rapid antigen tests can detect the COVID virus without the need of laboratory equipment.
COVID rapid home tests are “lateral flow assays,” much like over-the-counter pregnancy tests.
A nasal sample is mixed with a chemical solution that extracts the antigen proteins.
The tests are quick, taking about 15 minutes compared to one to three days for PCR test results.
Yet while at-home COVID tests have highly accurate positive results, negative results are less conclusive.
What are some problems with at-home COVID tests?
That means they’re not great at detecting COVID at the early, asymptomatic or recovery stages of infection.
What is the new FDA guidance for COVID testing at home?
For those with initial symptoms, theFDA now recommendstaking two at-home COVID tests, 48 hours apart.
What is the new CDC guidance for quarantining and testing for COVID?
The agency no longer suggests quarantine after a COVID-19 exposure.
It instead recommends wearing ahigh-quality maskfor 10 days and getting tested on day five.
The CDC also changed itspolicies on isolation for those infected with COVID-19.
Are new variants like omicron BA.4 and BA.5 detected by at-home COVID tests?
At-home COVID tests are looking for the presence of COVID-19’s nucleocapsid protein, which has hadfar fewer mutations.
How do I get at-home COVID tests?
You’ll still usually pay about $10 to $12 per test at retail stores.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to get at-home COVID tests for free.
