HOUSTON — Across the country we've seen long lines of people waiting to take COVID-19 tests, but long wait times and curling lines of cars could be a thing of the past thanks to this first-of-its-kind, 100-percent at-home COVID-19 test.
"The idea is to minimize exposure for everyone involved," said Dr. Joe Petrosino, virology expert at Baylor College of Medicine.
Lucira's All-in-One COVID-19 test kit will be available by prescription only. People will be able to call their doctor, request the at-home test, and it will be mailed out to their home. The company says the price tag is $50.
"It's a significant change," Petrosino said. "We'll see how big of a game changer it is."
Petrosino said anyone 14 or older will be able to self-administer the test. All you do is swab your own nose.
"Five rounds in each nostril and into a tube and you're done," Petrosino said.
That vial then goes into a hand held test unit that will flash your result.
"It's not a nasal pharyngeal swab, so it doesn't have to go back to the tip of your brain," Petrosino said. "It's not as uncomfortable."
It's also incredibly accurate. Lucira Health claims it can identify positives accurately 94.1 percent of the time and detects negative cases accurately an even better 98 percent.
"This will be the go to choice for many people," Petrosino said.
The company will release the test on a limited basis in Florida and California first before nationwide distribution by early spring. Experts hopeful it will have a major impact on U.S. testing capability and help reduce the long lines and testing backlog taking place across the country.