The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has green-lighted the first combination test for flu and Covid-19 that can be used at home, giving consumers an easy way to determine if a runny nose is caused by either disease.
The Lucira Covid-19 & Flu Home Test, which can be bought without a prescription, uses self-collected nasal swab samples and delivers results in about 30 minutes, the agency said.
While at-home Covid tests are readily available, this is the first home test for influenza A and B, reports ABC News, its emergency use authorisation facilitating the availability of “medical countermeasures” during public health emergencies.
The agency said the test is for individuals “with signs and symptoms consistent with a respiratory tract infection” and said it is safe for children as young as two.
Tests must be reported to healthcare providers and the FDA warns that there’s a risk of false positive and negative results, saying people who test negative but still have symptoms of fever, cough and-or shortness of breath, could still have a respiratory infection and should consult a doctor.
ABC News article – FDA authorizes combination flu-COVID test for home use (Open access)
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