The U.S. home testing company EverlyWell is unveiling its new lab-approved, at-home test for COVID-19 that will be available soon.
The company’s CEO Julia Creek took to Twitter on Thursday with an announcement about the test, revealing that it would be made available on Monday.
She tweeted, “We’re launching the first solution in the U.S. to get tested and diagnosed for [coronavirus] from your home on Monday, March 23.”
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Initially, coronavirus testing was limited to test kits provided by the Centers for Disease Control. Those tests could only be performed exclusively by local and health departments.
However, the Food and Drug Administration has opted to expand that protocol by allowing “certified labs, including commercial lab testing companies, to develop and distribute COVID-19 tests on Feb. 29,” according to Time.
EverlyWell’s at-home coronavirus test can be purchased on their website after completing a brief health questionnaire. However, the test would still need to be prescribed by a doctor.
Due to limited availability, doctors are still trying to rule out the flu before resorting to the coronavirus test.
The latest news about Everlywell’s at-home test for coronavirus follows reports detailing concerns about the spread of the virus.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) is at the center of the state facing a whopping number of positive coronavirus cases.
During a CNN interview on Wednesday, Cuomo criticized President Donald Trump for the slow rollout of tests as he said that the United States was “way behind,” as IJR reported.
The governor of the hard-hit state previously questioned the accuracy of the number of cases reported due to limited testing capacity.
At that time, Cuomo raised concerns about a possible, continued spread of the coronavirus without adequate testing kits.
“It is because we have no testing capacity. That is why the numbers are low. If you actually had testing capacity, you would see how high the numbers are already. And as we do ramp up testing, you’re going to see those numbers go sky high. And if you don’t have the American people ready for, it’s going to be a problem.”
Positive coronavirus cases in the United States have surged to more than 10,000, as of Thursday. On March 5, there were over 200 cases nationwide.
