BURLINGTON, N.C. — You may soon be able to test yourself for COVID-19 at home, thanks to LabCorp. The Triad-based company just received authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that allows swab specimens to be collected at home if it's recommended by a healthcare provider.
The FDA gave Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to the Pixel by LabCorp At-Home Kit. The company said it comes with everything you need to collect a nasal swab sample and send it back to their lab. Right now, LabCorp has a limited number of kits and is prioritizing healthcare workers and first responders who have been exposed to COVID-19 or are showing symptoms.
According to their website, to get the test you must take an eligibility survey before you purchase the kit. It's listed online at $119. LabCorp will mail the test to you, and after you collect your sample, you'll send it back. The results of the test will be available online.
While most COVID-19 tests involve a swab sample from deep within a person's nasal cavity, a video on LabCorp's website says the Pixel test only requires a patient swab of the edge of his nostrils a few times.
The kit has not been cleared or approved by the FDA but authorized under an EUA to test for COVID-19 only. This means the test is only available through the duration of the coronavirus emergency.
RELATED: What is an antibody test?