What should Americans know about at-home rapid COVID testing

With millions of people in the nation getting tested positive for the omicron variant of COVID-19 every day, Americans are struggling to find locations to get tested for the coronavirus. Usual testing spots such as clinics, drive-thrus, doctor’s offices, drug stores, pharmacies, and hospitals all have overwhelmingly long lines and wait times for testing. In an effort to bypass these difficulties, more people are turning to at-home rapid COVID testing kits.

The  rapid tests produce results in as quick as 15 minutes, in contrast to the several days-long wait for a PCR test. However, therapid tests seem to be in extremely high demand on the market, making it difficult for Americans to get access to these self-testing kits.

PCR tests, or polymerase chain reaction tests, are the most accurate COVID tests because they require special lab equipment to detect tiny snippets of the virus’s genetic material, therefore, taking days to get results back. Otherwise, rapid tests are not that accurate as PCR tests because they can be taken at home and detect antigens, or molecules found on the virus’s surface, providing results in about 15 minutes.

As more and more testing kits are on demand, prices skyrocket as a result. From official sellers, testing kits include one to two tests per box and the prices range between $14 to $25 each. However, at unofficial sellers, the price per kit can be much higher than that price range. As a result, in efforts to make testing kits more accessible and affordable there may potentially be ways for President Biden’s COVID response team to limit people’s expenses for testing kits that are out of their pocket.

However, good information came to Americans as announced by the White House which calls for free at-home rapid COVID tests that can be ordered, starting on Jan. 19, 2022, through a new government-issued website. 

In an effort to increase American’s accessibility to COVID testing, both over-the-counter and in-person testing, President Biden’s administration launched the website of which tests can be ordered. In addition, efforts are also made for the availability of 400 million N95 masks to be distributed to people for free at local health centers and pharmacies.

Every US home is eligible to order four testing kits and orders of test kits will usually ship within 7 to 12 days and “the timeline is expected to shorten as the program ramps up,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

Knowing the positives and negatives of at-home rapid testing kits, they’re likely to become more and more accessible to Americans to get tested and will help in taking any further action, as a result.

Article by Margaret Georgiev of Walter Johnson High School

Photo by Delaney Crawley of Richard Montgomery High School