US FDA announces new kit for COVID-19 home test

The US Food and Drug Administration, on Friday said that people might soon be able to perform their own test swabs for COVID-19 at home with a newly designed Q-tip-style swab.
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CNN reports that the FDA said it had worked with US Cotton to design the swabs, which are shorter than the swabs used by technicians, doctors or nurses to collect samples to test people for COVID-19 infection.

According to the FDA, the new swab is shorter and can collect a sample from the front of the nose.

The FDA in a statement said, “The type of testing at the front of the nose used in this study is notable because it allows self-collection by patients thereby limiting exposure of healthcare providers.

”It is more comfortable for patients and it can be performed by a swab that is more readily available and manufacturable at scale.”

The FDA also said US Cotton plans to manufacture large quantities of these swabs.