At home tests are very easy to use, and can produce a valid result in as little as fifteen minutes. Photo Courtesy NBC
Anyone can order four free at-home COVID-19 testing kits right now. As of Jan. 19, the tests are being made available on a government website: COVIDtests.gov. The tests will come in the mail, via USPS, and the only information needed to place an order is a name and an address.
The website states that tests ship within 7-12 days of placing the order, so this will not be a viable option for people who are experiencing symptoms or who have been exposed and need a test immediately. Instead, guidance on the site states individuals should “order your tests now so you have them when you need them.”
To ensure access to as many people as possible, the limit of four tests is limited per residential address. More tests will be made available later, and all insurance providers are required to either pay or reimburse for up to eight purchased at-home tests as of Jan. 15.
An area that may be of unique concern to Alaskans is the potential for the test kits to become cold or even freeze during shipping. A report from MinnPost included statements from several manufacturers of at-home tests who state that cold temperatures should not invalidate the tests, but each of them should be stored at room temperature. It seems unlikely that the tests were tested for Alaska winter, however, and leaving them in the cold for too long is probably best avoided. The tests do need to be at room temperature at the time of use.
The tests being offered are rapid antigen tests, granting results in ten minutes. They work by swabbing the nose to obtain a sample, treating that sample with a solution to break up cells and particulates, then placing the sample onto a test strip coated in antibodies designed to attack the virus. If the antibodies react to the sample, indicated by a second red line on the test, COVID cells are likely in the sample. This is a positive result.
Antigen tests have been stated to be less accurate than the PCR test. Though the PCR test, which takes significantly longer to produce a result, may be more accurate, the antigen tests are by no means inaccurate, and their results should not be viewed with suspicion.
UAA students who test positive are asked to report their results by calling 907-205-6941 and emailing uaa_ehsrms@alaska.edu
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