Do you intend to spend time with family and friends? Whether you’re going or visiting family, you should add COVID-19 home tests to your shopping list.
Testing at home is a simple approach to ensure your meeting runs smoothly. These tests are rapid, simple, portable, and cost around $25, making them an excellent choice for a range of situations.
Here’s everything you need to know about COVID-19 home exams.
What exactly is a home test?
A home test is one of numerous methods for COVID-19 virus testing. It is, as the name implies, a test that can be completed at home or on the move. This is sometimes referred to as a self-test or an over-the-counter (OTC) test.
You perform the test and read the findings yourself. You can also assist your children or other family members in taking tests at home.
There are approximately a dozen over-the-counter diagnostics approved by the MHRA for emergency usage. The majority of home tests are fast (antigen) tests. The findings of these quick tests are available in 15–30 minutes. There are also home PCR tests that require you to send your sample to a laboratory for analysis, which takes at least a day. These are properly referred to as “home collection tests.”
When are home tests appropriate?
People two years of age and older can use home tests. For the following reasons, a home test may be a viable option:
You have COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to or may have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
You do not have COVID-19 symptoms, but you want to be sure you are not a carrier of the virus before attending a conference or event. This is especially critical before meeting with unvaccinated individuals (including small children), the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, or individuals at high risk of disease. In this situation, a simple Day 2 PCR test at home no more than 24 hours before the event or meeting is recommended.
You are either getting ready to leave or returning from a trip. Home testing can be used to comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national travel testing requirements for unvaccinated people. You must do the test one to two days before the vacation and three to five days after you return. Some home tests will be accepted by the CDC for foreign travel testing needs. It is best, however, to check the criteria of your airline as well as the countries to and from which you are travelling.
How can you have your blood checked at home?
Home test kits should be available at pharmacies around the country. You can also buy them directly from sellers online. There is no requirement for a prescription.
During the most recent surge in COVID-19 cases, a low supply of tests was recorded, so if you find one available, get it no matter what. As a result, new choices (English only) have just hit the market, and stores have increased the quantity of testing in case of an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Kits are usually of £15 and include two tests, swabs, test solution, and instructions. This is more expensive than getting tested at a healthcare provider or testing centre, where tests are usually provided free of charge to persons who have symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.
