The government has not changed its recommendations regarding at-home testing. They should be used when an immediate result is required.
"The bottom line is that the tests still detect COVID-19, whether it's delta or alpha," Dr. Emily Volk (president of the College of American Pathologists) says.
As each variant of the rapid test becomes available, government scientists have been testing to ensure that they still work. The Food and Drug Administration reported this week that preliminary research suggests they can detect omicron but have a lower sensitivity. It noted that it is still studying the performance of the tests with this variant, which was first detected in November.
Dr. Anthony Fauci is the leading U.S. expert on infectious diseases. He stated that FDA wants to be "totally transparency" and noted that while the sensitivity may decrease, the importance of the tests will not.
Volk says that at-home testing has many benefits. They can be combined with vaccination to make it easier to gather with friends and family.
A rapid test can be done five days after you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus. If you are unsure if your sore throat or runny nose is COVID-19, it can help.
When looking at the results, remember to consider the context. Volk suggests that you approach a negative result from an in-home test with more caution if you feel sick after you go to a club with high infection rates.
She recommends that you follow up with a PCR testing. These tests are more precise and can be done at hospitals and testing sites.
