The US Food and Drug Administration has issued LabCorp an Emergency Use Authorization that allows at-home sample collection for its COVID-19 test, as 360Dx reports.
Under the authorization issued Tuesday, people may use LabCorp's Pixel by LabCorp COVID-19 Test home collection kit, which contains a nasal swab, saline, and an insulating mailing package, to collect their own samples. The samples are then sent in to LabCorp for testing on its COVID-19 RT-PCR Test. The FDA also re-issued the EUA for that test to allow it to run samples that were collected at home. 360Dx adds that the kits will be available in most states with a doctor's order in the coming weeks.
The Verge adds that LabCorp is first making the test available to healthcare workers and first responders.
It further notes that a number of companies have developed and tried to market at-home tests for COVID-19. One California company, though, was sued and settled with the city of Los Angeles, and the FDA had said any at-home test kit needed its authorization. This, the Verge adds, is the first.