Are COVID-19 Home Tests Safe for the Holidays?

Can Home Screening for COVID-19 Make Holiday Gatherings Safer?

Yes, combined with vaccination, home coronavirus testing can add an extra layer of security and peace of mind by providing immediate results during this second year of pandemic parties.

“We will use rapid tests to double check everyone before we meet“Said the doctor Emily Volk, president of the American College of Pathologists, who is planning a meal with six vaccinated family members. “We will do it as you walk through the door “.

This type of test is not as reliable as the PCR performed in hospitals and analysis centers, he added people. But they have the advantage that they return a result in a matter of minutes instead of having to wait several days.

The kits are available in pharmacies without a prescription, and the price of a box with two tests is usually around US $ 25. They include swabs to take the sample, solution to perform the test and instructions.

Adults and teens can do the test themselves, and an adult can test a child over two years old. Video tutorials available on product websites can help.

Most require taking a sample by passing the swab about half a centimeter (inch) down the inside of both nostrils, which may tingle but not pain. The test will be positive if a viral protein is detected in the sample.

Home tests may not detect some infections, and they rarely indicate an infection when there is none. One of the most popular does not identify about 15 out of 100 infections, which is called “false negatives”And it is false positive in about 1 in 100 uninfected people.

During the latest wave of the pandemic, a widespread shortage of this type of test was reported, but the market has recently received new options and manufacturers such as Abbott Laboratories have increased production.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer other tips for enjoying the holidays safely. Vaccination remains the best protection against the coronavirus.