New At Home Coronavirus Test Without Prescription

It wasn’t too long ago that we were all so excited about an impending vaccine approval, which provided a much needed light at the end of this pandemic tunnel. Now, a newly approved over-the-counter at home Coronavirus testing kit provides a light of its own.

If the prospect of going out into the public, waiting in long lines among other people who have reason to believe they may be infected or may have been exposed to COVID-19, having someone swab you quickly and get back to you several days later seems daunting, well, there’s no wonder. It was daunting just writing that sentence!

You may know that there have been at-home Coronovirus tests since last month, but those required you to have a doctor’s prescription. This new over-the-counter option is a real game changer. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn explained in a statement yesterday,

“…a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes.”

I don’t know about you, but to me, that sounds a whole lot better than the alternative. Of course, the FDA notes that this test, like many others, can still produce a small number of false positives or false negatives. They recommend that if you do get a negative result but you are experiencing Coronavirus symptoms, you follow-up with a healthcare professional.

This new test is an excellent supplement to the other testing being done, but there are concerns about the cost. Those with insurance can rejoice, though, as Federal law requires that insurance cover the test.

I am hopeful that we will continue to get good news about ways to test, prevent, treat, and vaccinate against Coronavirus and that 2021 will be a significant step-up from 2020. Crossing my fingers and staying tuned as always!