Accurate At Home COVID Testing

Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are a highly sensitive molecular tests that amplify small amounts of genetic material to detect the presence of a particular organism or virus, including COVID-19 variants. This video explains how Lucira’s molecular test kit works and will help you generally understand this testing method. Unlike antigen tests (like those at home tests that the US government sent out to for free), which only detect high viral loads, NAATs can detect an infection before symptoms appear and before you are infectious to others. By detecting an infection earlier, NAATs enable earlier treatment, increasing the chances of avoiding hospitalization, death, and long COVID.

The most accurate time to take nasal swab or saliva COVID tests is first thing in the morning before you brush your teeth, drink, eat, smoke, irrigate, or shower.  

There are a lot of changes going on with the pricing and availability of these tests right now, so check back here often. Below are three options (Cue, Metrix, and Lucira) that are currently (August 21, 2023) available for purchase in the US. 

Aptitude received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the Metrix™ COVID-19 Test, the world’s first saliva / nasal swab (your choice) based molecular test for at-home and over-the-counter use without physician supervision. The test delivers results in 30 minutes or less.  Hardly anyone knows about this test, so if you know someone who has a medical condition that does not allow them to use nasal swabs or who even someone who just hates doing nasal swabs, please let them know about this saliva testing option. 

The Metrix Reader (the small black diagnostic device pictured above) works with the Metrix COVID-19 Test (the clear and blue single use insert). The black reader portion can be reused and can last for >1000 tests. The reader must be plugged in while the test is running.

Results are a little more accurate (have a higher sensitivity) if you swab then if you do a saliva test. You choose which sample you want to provide.

Nasal swab samples (Video Demo): 98% sensitivity and 99% specificity
Saliva samples: (Demo Video): 91% sensitivity and 99% specificity.

The reusable reader is about $35 – $50 (best to buy it in a bundle with tests) and individually bought tests are about $25. Buy your tests here or on Amazon.

The Lucira COVID-19 & Flu Home Test is a single-use battery powered nasal swab based molecular test for at-home and over-the-counter use without physician supervision. The test delivers positive results in as few as 11 minutes and negative results in 30 minutes. You don’t need a phone, reader, access to an outlet, etc. to use this test.

This test can detect COVID, Flu A, and Flu B. These viruses are all currently circulating at high levels in the US and many people are testing positive for Flu A at the same time as Flu B. It’s twice the price (about $40 per test) of the Metrix test, but Metrix does not currently test for the flu, so if you want to screen for flu and COVID, this is a really great home option. Everything you need is in the box.

It’s available for purchase in the US on Amazon.

• Video Instructions for Use at Home
• Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers

Cue’s compact, portable, molecular COVID-19 test can detect small amounts of virus, including prevalent variants and subvariants of concern such as BA.5, BQ.1, BQ1.1, and XBB in people with or without symptoms.

Results are delivered in just 20 minutes (the quickest I’ve seen for at home molecular tests) , right to your mobile device — anytime, anywhere. These feature can be REALLY helpful if you are doing preventative testing.

Safe for use on adults (self-swabbing) and children ages 2 and up (swabbed by an adult). Cue’s COVID-19 test meets the testing requirements for air travel entry into most countries, including the U.S. and Canada.

Cue’s COVID-19 was found to be equivalent to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in an independent study conducted by Mayo Clinic. The study found 97.8% agreement between Cue’s COVID-19 test and central lab PCR testing. In a separate clinical study with lay users, the Cue’s COVID-19 OTC Test demonstrated sensitivity of 97% (% positive agreement) and specificity of 99% (% negative agreement). Importantly, the study showed the test was 100% accurate in people infected with the virus who were asymptomatic.

Currently, these are the most expensive of the options here, but the convenience will be worth it for some people.

If you test positive using a Cue test, you’ll get access to Cue Care at no additional charge. Cue Care brings telehealth and prescribed medication to you all through the Cue Health App. If a telehealth clinician issues an e-prescription for you through Cue Care™, they then work to fill it and deliver it to you, which is usually within 24 hours. (Before giving any doctor your pharmacy contact information, be sure that pharmacy has your medication (Paxlovid, etc.) in stock.)  If your telehealth clinician submits an e-prescription before 4pm local time Monday through Friday or by 12pm on Saturday or Sunday, you will receive your delivery on the same day. If the submission for the e-prescription delivery is placed after 4pm Monday through Friday or after 12pm on Saturday or Sunday, you should receive your delivery the next day. If it’s a holiday, your order will be delivered the next day. 

People who are concerned about privacy should know you need to use the  app for these tests and positive results will be automatically and “anonymously” reported to relevant public health authorities in accordance with local, state, and federal requirements.
 
You can order them online here.