The FDA authorized Dec. 9 the first at-home COVID-19 test that doesn't require a prescription.
The test, made by LabCorp, can be purchased online or in a store and allows people to self-collect their nasal swabs at home. They can then send their test samples to LabCorp for testing, and results are delivered by phone call, email or online portal. LabCorp didn't say what the estimated turnaround time for results would be.
The test is for people aged 18 years and older.
"While many home collection kits can be prescribed with a simple online questionnaire, this newly authorized direct-to-consumer collection kit removes that step from the process, allowing anyone to collect their sample and send it to the lab for processing," said Jeff Shuren, MD, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health.
Read the FDA's full news release here.