They approved the first Covid-19 test for home self-diagnosis: here’s how it works

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in charge of giving the green light to the marketing of drugs, authorized this Wednesday the first Covid-19 test for home self-diagnosis, the result of which can be found on a maximum 30 minutes.

The test from US manufacturer Lucira Health has received emergency use authorization, the FDA said in a statement, where it stressed that it was for single use and “intended to detect the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes Covid-19. “.

The test, available on prescription, can be used at home for people over 14 years of age suspected of having contracted the disease; or in health care settings, such as doctor’s offices, hospitals, first aid clinics, and emergency rooms.

“While there are covid-19 diagnostic tests that have been licensed for home sample collection, it is the first test that can be fully performed and provide results at home,” said the commissioner of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, in the statement For the official, this new option “is an important diagnostic advance in dealing with the pandemic and reducing the public burden of disease transmission.”

The test is applied by collecting a nasal sample through a swab, which is then placed and withdrawn into a vial to impregnate it. This tube is then placed in a test unit, which in 30 minutes or less will deliver the result, positive or negative, on a bright screen.

The FDA has said those who test positive will need to self-isolate and seek health care; and if it is negative, but the person has symptoms similar to covid-19, you should see your doctor, as such a result does not exclude that the person has contracted the virus.

The test will also allow follow-up of cases, since the doctors who order the test must report any results they receive. The new test was approved at a time when the United States is experiencing a rebound from the pandemic, which is the worst affected country in the world.

According to the independent tally from Johns Hopkins University, the United States exceeded a quarter of a million (250,029) deaths from covid-19 as of Wednesday, as infections hovered around 11.5 million.