Tips For Taking An At-Home COVID Tests
At-home COVID tests have become more common and more readily available throughout the pandemic. Today's tests are pretty accurate, but their accuracy still does depend, in part, on the way they are administered. Here are some tips to follow in order to make sure your at-home COVID test is as accurate as possible.
Check the expiration date, first.
COVID tests do have a limited lifespan. Once they surpass their expiration date, they may not be as accurate at detecting the presence of the virus in your mucous. So, always check the date on the test before you buy it, and then again right before you use it.
Use the test in the nose or mouth, as directed.
Most at-home COVID tests are designed to work with mucous from your nose. There are now some tests that you can take with a sample of saliva from your mouth instead. However, the two are not interchangeable. Nasal COVID tests can not be accurately used with saliva, and saliva COVID tests can't be accurately used with nasal secretions. Check which type you bought, and make sure you use it for the intended secretions.
Set a timer when you're waiting for the test to develop.
The test instructions will tell you how long you need to wait for the test to "develop" before you read the results. Depending on the test, this could be 10 minutes, 15 minutes, or some other period of time. Don't leave this to chance; if you read the test too soon, the results may not be accurate. Set a timer for the requisite time once you insert your sample into the test, and don't read the results until your timer goes off.
Take two tests.
Most at-home COVID testing kits actually come with two tests. It's important to make sure you do, indeed, take both tests. One test could possibly miss the presence of the viral particles, resulting in a false negative. It's possible that the second test could miss the virus, too, but the chance of having two false negatives is lower than the chance of having just one. Taking two tests makes your results more reliable.
Taking an at-home COVID test can be a good choice if you're exposed to COVID but don't have symptoms, or if you're dealing with symptoms and want to know whether they're from COVID. Follow the tips above, and your tests should be more accurate.
For more information on a COVID test, contact a professional near you.
