On Tuesday the FDA announced they have approved the first at-home coronavirus test.
The test is an at-home collection kit, which provides sample collection materials including a nasal swab to the user, who then uses the included shipping package to return the sample to a lab for testing.
Until now, the FDA has not authorized any at-home testing or sample collection kits for use, and in fact clarified its guidelines to specifically note that their use was not authorized under its guidelines.
Fox News reports: "In a statement released Tuesday, the FDA said that it had reissued an Emergency Use Authorization for LabCorp to COVID-19 RT-PCR Test to permit testing of samples that were self-collected by patients at home using LabCorp's Pixel by LabCorp COVID-19 Test home collection kit."
"Throughout this pandemic we have been facilitating test development to ensure patients access to accurate diagnostics, which includes supporting the development of reliable and accurate at-home sample collection options," FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said.
Testing has been one of the most important issues in America's battle against the coronavirus. There have been over 100,000 COVID-19 tests conducted every day in the U.S. since the start of April.
“This reissued EUA for LabCorp's molecular test permits testing of a sample collected from the patient's nose using a designated self-collection kit that contains nasal swabs and saline,” the FDA said. “Once patients self-swab to collect their nasal sample, they mail their sample, in an insulated package, to a LabCorp lab for testing.”
"As of Tuesday morning, more than 2.49 million coronavirus cases have been diagnosed worldwide, at least 787,960 of which are in the U.S.," Fox News notes. "The disease has accounted for at least 171,255 deaths around the world, including at least 42,364 people in the U.S."
Americans are itching to get back to work and resume their normal lives.
Protests have broke out across the country by people who want to reclaim their constitutional liberties after having them taken away thanks to coroanvirus-related 'stay-at-home' orders.
Hopefully the FDA's approval of the first at-home COVID-19 test will only help speed things along.