RS Recommends: Here’s How to Find Covid Testing Kits on Amazon
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With a new Covid variant going around (again), and cold weather coming in (again), Covid-19 cases are looking like they’re set to spike as everyone’s social gatherings move inside. While we’re all pretty used to this by now, this time around, we have a new weapon in our arsenal: at-home tests.
Related: These Rapid Covid Tests Are Selling Out as People Gather (Cautiously) Again
It may not be a treatment or cure, but the best home Covid tests give you the benefit of knowing if you’ve contracted the virus, which could help stop the spread and prevent friends, relatives, and others from catching the virus too.
Of course, there are variables for each test, and since this isn’t really like any other over-the-counter packs we frequently buy, it’s best to know a few points before ordering a home Covid test online.
What to Know Before Buying a Home Covid Test Online
While Covid tests used to be reserved for hospitals and clinics, you can now buy home Covid tests online, with sites like Amazon offering a number of doctor-approved testing kits. But you’ll want to make sure to check the type of test and the accuracy of the process in order to find the best Covid tests on Amazon for you.
Accuracy: Just like a pregnancy test, or any test really, there’s a margin of error for home Covid tests. Thankfully, it’s pretty low, with some tests stretching past 97% accuracy. Since this virus tends to mutate fast, check to see if your test covers the newest one (I.e. Omicron). It may not be a perfect, airtight method, but it’s generally pretty reliable.
Results: How much time do you have until your social gathering? Some of the more accurate tests require either mailing in to a lab and/or waiting a few days to a week to hear back. The benefit is a more detailed analysis, but if your party is tomorrow, that’s not going to cut it. Instead, you’ll need a test that gives you results right at home. A rapid antigen test can be quick, often in 15 minutes.
Testing Process: It’s most likely not going to be comfortable, but the good news is that the home testing process for Covid is way better than the original PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) testing when this all first started. Those ones needed to go far, far up into your nasal cavity. For these new home Covid tests, only about 3/4-inch up your nose is needed: Move the swab around, combine it with a solution, and drop it onto the test strip, or properly package it to send back to the lab. Throat swabs are offered in other home Covid tests, and those swabs will need to reach to your tonsils, without touching your tongue, teeth or gums.
Some tests require an oral sample and a sample from both nostrils, all using the same swab. For instant result tests, you’ll notice a spot for both “C” and “T” – a sample that tests positive for Covid will display a line on both, while a negative result will only show a line on C, or for an invalid test, a singular line on T. All tests are a bit different though, so be sure to read the directions carefully.
Price: Pricing for tests is all over the place and constantly changing, based on supply and demand, availability, and what country you’re in. These are all relatively new, but they’re getting better with time.
While we can’t guarantee, predict, or offer any medical advice, these tests can be an excellent step in gaining control over containing Covid. Here’s what to look for when shopping for home Covid tests online.
Related: The Best Face Masks for the Omicron Variant
1. iHealth Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test
This is a popular self-administered test that uses a nasal swab and testing strip solution for easy-to-read results.
These tests last about six months before they expire, with a 94.3% rate of correctly identifying positive samples, and 98.1% for correctly identified negative samples.
The app also lets “group managers” confidentially see the results of each individual, making this ideal for places doing pool-testing like school and work. You’re also able to store your vaccine records for easy access, which can also be used as proof when showing a negative result.
2. DxTerity Covid-19 At-Home Collection Kit
No swabbing is required for this one – just a saliva sample and you’re good to send it back to the lab, getting results 48 hours later.
The Covid home testing kit, shipping materials, as well as a prepaid label, are all included, and results appear online confidentially.
This is FDA-authorized for home usage, trusted by over 100 major companies, and you don’t have to be symptomatic to purchase the Covid kit or take the test.
3. On/Go At-Home Rapid Antigen Self-Test
This FDA-authorized rapid test meets the CDC requirements for re-entering the U.S. after travel, and involves just a nasal swab.
The test is quick — about 10 minutes to get results — but they also expire in a short amount of time too (around three months) so it’s best if they’re used soon after getting them.
The accompanying app walks you through the testing process, and you can share results with people of your choosing. Keep in mind that this doesn’t show antibodies that you’d have following a previous Covid infection.
4. Amazon Covid-19 Test Collection Kit
A nasal swab is all that’s needed here, though you’ll need to register your kit before getting back results. This is a PCR test rather than an antigen test like some of the options above.
This Covid kit comes with the testing materials plus a pre-paid envelope for you to safely and securely mail your sample back to the lab.
While this does meet requirements for traveling within the U.S., it’s not meant for children – only adults 18 and over. Per Amazon, this is also an FDA-authorized home Covid test.
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