confirmed with an authorized molecular test performed in an approved laboratory, the FDA notes.
If you still have fever, cough and/or shortness of breath even after testing negative, you may still have a respiratory infection, the FDA notes. You should seek follow-up care with your healthcare provider.
The impact of flu, COVID and RSV have underscored the importance of having tests for various respiratory viruses, according to the FDA. The agency plans to continue increasing the number of easy-to-use, at-home tests available to the public.
Lucira Health, the company that manufactures the test, has filed for bankruptcy, so it’s not clear what its manufacturing capacity is at this point or what the possible cost for the tests might be, the New York Times reports.
When to Get Tested for COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends get tested if:
- If you have symptoms, test immediately.
- If you were exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms, wait at least 5 full days after your exposure before testing. If you test too early, you may be more likely to get an inaccurate result.
- If you are in certain high-risk settings, you may need to test as part of a screening testing program.
- Consider testing before contact with someone at high risk for severe COVID-19, especially if you are in an area with a medium or high COVID-19 Community Level.
For guidance on using tests to determine which mitigations are recommended as you recover from COVID-19, go to Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19.