GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The FDA recently approved a new at home test for COVID-19. The test is sold by LabCorp and will first be made available to health care and other front-line workers. It will be available for consumers in the coming weeks.
The at home lab test requires a COVID 19 screening by a Labcorp before the test is sent to you. It will be the same nasal swab testing you've been seeing done at local testing sites.
Dr. Andrew Jameson, an Infectious Disease Specialist with Mercy Health Saint Mary's in Grand Rapids says this test is the next step beyond social distancing, “In order for us as a community in West Michigan to open up and keep everyone safe we have to have a combination of these kinds of kits for access to everyone as well as rapid testing kits to get a diagnosis right away.”
Dr. Jameson adds wide spread testing is key to managing this virus.”There is a big role in widely. We still think testing symptomatic people is the best way to stop this but there is a role for the screening more widely and I think this could help fill that niche."
The one drawback with the at home test, the results could take over a week to get results.
When the Labcorp tests become available for consumers they will cost $119 and you'll need to ask your insurer for reimbursement.
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