Antigen testing, on the other hand, is a fraction of the cost, currently in the range of $ 25 to $ 50.
What should you check in the box?
Make sure that the home test or collection kit you want to purchase has an emergency use authorization from the FDA (it will be printed on the box) and that the company works with certified laboratory partners. Also look for tests that offer a telemedicine consultation, Dr. Cruz advised, so you can discuss your diagnosis and next steps.
How should I interpret the result of a home coronavirus test?
Following the test kit instructions is critical to obtain a reliable result. “A sample that is not collected correctly can lead to false negative test results,” said Dr. Cruz. The technique of imperfect smear, or rubbing only one nostril, may increase the risk of less accurate results. And samples of test kits by mail must be sent on the same day of collection; the less time in transit, the better. Samples sent on weekends or holidays may be delayed, although some use FedEx and overnight shipping.
If your test is positive in a PCR test sent by mail or in a home antigen test, you are likely to be infected and possibly contagious, said Dr. Bacci, so isolate yourself from others and continue monitoring your symptoms. . Repeating the test can help to track the course of the disease if, say, someone stops being asymptomatic and starts to show symptoms.
Negative results are more likely to be wrong than positive ones. “A negative result does not necessarily mean that you do not have Covid-19, which is the same interpretation for a home test, a test sent by mail or offered at a doctor’s office,” said Dr. Cruz. Continue to wear masks, distance yourself socially and practice good hygiene, especially if you have symptoms or known contacts with other people with Covid-19.
When would a test be inappropriate for use?
Dr. Gronvall is concerned that some people are using home tests after being vaccinated to make sure the vaccine worked. But neither PCR nor antigen-based tests will be able to discern whether vaccines have created immunity in your body.
That’s because vaccines encode fragments of the virus and not the entire sequence. PCR and antigen tests look for a different portion of the virus than that included in vaccines.
“These tests are not going to tell people whether the vaccine is effective,” she said.
What is the future of home testing?
In addition to saliva and nasal swabs, some scientists are looking to develop devices that look like breathalyzers to detect chemicals in an individual’s breathing that correspond to coronavirus infection. “We are looking for the body’s response to infections and diseases,” said Pelagia-Iren Gouma, materials engineer at Ohio State University.