The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave an emergency green light to the first rapid coronavirus test that can be run from start to finish at home, paving a potential path for more widespread testing outside of health care settings.
The test, developed by the California-based company Lucira Health, requires a prescription from a health care provider, and people under the age of 14 also cannot perform the test on themselves.
But with a relatively simple nasal swab, the test can return results in about half an hour, and it is projected by the company to cost $50 or less, according to the product’s website. Clinicians can also run the test on their patients, including children younger than 14, potentially delivering results during a single visit to a care centre or pharmacy.
A handful of other tests have been given emergency authorisation by the FDA.