The first home test for COVID-19 that doesn’t require a prescription will soon be on U.S. store shelves.
U.S. regulators Tuesday authorized the rapid coronavirus test, which can be done entirely at home.
Regulators granted emergency use for a similar home test last month, but that one needs a doctor’s prescription.
The agency’s action Tuesday allows sales in places like drugstores “where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, in a statement.
The kit includes a nasal swab, a chemical solution and a testing strip. The test connects digitally to a smart phone app that displays the results and then helps interpret the results. Users can also connect with a health professional via the app.