New Covid Tests Are Here. They Test for Flu, Too. - The New York Times

Nov 05, 2024

Covid-19 Guidance

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So when and how should you use them?

By Dani Blum

Yet again this winter, millions of Americans will wonder if a nagging cough or body aches is a sign they’re coming down with Covid or the flu. This time, they’ll have an expanded array of tools to get an answer without leaving the house.

There are now nine at-home tests that can detect the coronavirus and influenza at the same time. Many of the tests, which can be sold over the counter, were just approved in the last six months.

“It’s really a big shift in what’s available,” said Dr. Gregory Martin, a professor at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

The Food and Drug Administration approved most of the Covid-and-flu combination tests under emergency protocols in 2023 and 2024. Earlier this month, the agency also authorized the first of these combination tests, made by the health care equipment company Healgen, under its traditional, more rigorous approval process.

The combination tests look and work a lot like traditional at-home Covid tests: They’re easy to use and fast, often delivering results within 15 minutes. Most are only slightly more expensive than regular Covid tests, usually hovering around $30 for a pack of two, though they may not be covered by insurance.

Doctors say the combination tests could be vital as we head into colder months and peak virus season — but only if more people know to use them, or that the tests exist at all.

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