FDA: Multiple at-home COVID tests needed to confirm negative result
The FDA recommended that people take multiple at-home COVID-19 antigen tests to confirm a negative result, whether they have symptoms or not.
The new recommendation was based on study results collected during the omicron wave that showed repeat testing after a negative at-home antigen result increased the chances of an accurate result, the FDA said.
According to the recommendation, “people should use multiple tests over a certain time period, such as 2 to 3 days, especially when the people using the tests don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.”
Specifically, the FDA said at least one extra test taken 48 hours later is needed to confirm a negative result in people with symptoms. People without symptoms who think they have been exposed should take at least two additional tests, at 48-hour intervals, after a negative result. People who get three negative results and remain concerned that they are infected may take a fourth test, the FDA said.
It recommended that people with symptoms consider getting a laboratory molecular-based test or contacting a health care provider after two negative tests.
Multiple brands of at-home tests may be used for repeat testing, the FDA said. Any positive result “most likely” indicates an infection, it said.
Antigen tests detect SARS-CoV-2 around 80% of the time in infected people compared with more accurate molecular tests, which are expected to detect it at least 95% of the time, the FDA noted.
“At-home COVID-19 antigen tests, while not perfect, provide a fast and convenient COVID-19 testing option,” the agency said.
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