Health Essentials: Where to Buy an At-Home COVID-19 Test Online for Cheap

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COVID-19 transmission rates are no longer surging around the country, but there has been a rise in cases in California and other regions. According to a recent CDC report, COVID-19 cases are growing in several states including Maryland, Massachusetts, Florida and Texas, and with summer right around the corner, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Although the federal government suspended its free, at-home testing program a while ago, you may still be able to get a test for free, depending on where you live.

If you’d rather test at home, to lessen the potential risk of exposing someone else by buying a test in the store, you can get fast and free shipping on COVID-19 tests, face masks, personal care essentials and millions of other items at Amazon and Walmart. The iHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test ($17.98) is a No. 1 best-seller on Amazon with over 179,000 customer ratings. If you’re in need of a lab test, the COVID-19 + Flu + RSV Test Home Kit ($129) is an at-home, PCR test that’ll tell you if you have COVID-19, the flu or RSV.

See more below. 

This 15-minute self-test can be completed in the comfort and privacy of your own home. The rapid test is recommended for ages 15 years and older and is done by inserting a 1/2 to 3/4 inch of sample, non-invasive nasal swab (adult collection is required for children ages 2-14 years old).

In July 2022, the Food and Drug Administration extended the shelf life of at-home COVID tests from six months to a year. How do you know if your COVID test is expired? According to the FDA, the expiration date is set at the end of the product’s shelf life, which is “determined by how long the test should work as expected and is measured from the date the test was manufactured.”

The FDA notes that the expiration date “may be extended” in some cases, but only after the “manufacturer provides data showing that the shelf-life is longer than was known when the test was first authorized.”

When should you take an at-home COVID test? The CDC recommends that you test immediately if you have symptoms. If you have been exposed to COVID,but might not have symptoms, the CDC recommends testing at least five days after exposure.

For those attending large gatherings or events that require testing (or if you want to take a test as a precaution), the CDC advises that you take the test immediately before a gathering or close the time of the event.

If you have health insurance, you may be able to receive an FDA authorized at-home COVID test for free either at point of sale or through reimbursement (up to $12). Find more details here.

See below for more FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests that you can buy online.