Walmart.com has
2-Count OraSure InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test for
$14.
Shipping is free with Walmart+ (
free 15-day trial) or on orders of $35 or more.
Thanks to community member
psychos for finding this deal.
About this item:
- Detects active COVID-19 infection for both symptomatic and asymptomatic use
- Shallow and gentle nasal swab (lower nostril)
- 98% of untrained, unproctored users found InteliSwab easy to use
- Requires less than one minute of hands-on time
- No lab needed and no assembly required
- Get your results in 30 minutes
- No difficult or confusing steps
- No dropper bottle or number of drops required
- No batteries or instruments needed
- Designed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania by OraSure Technologies, Inc.
- Suitable for ages 15 and up
- Bilingual instructions included in the test kit
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A lot of questions hopefully I can clear some up.
This tests for the viral particles itself (antigen) so an active infection. This does not test for antibodies or immunity. This rapid test was given and EUA or emergency use authorization which means it doesn't have full FDA approval but the FDA thinks there is enough evidence to provide some utility for making the test available prior to doing a full review on it.
This rapid test is nowhere near as sensitive or as a PCR test. In other words it has the potential for a lot of false negatives meaning that the test tells you that you don't have COVID when you really do. And that's because of the different technology. With PCR you have an amplification of genetic material so it's like those cop shows where even the smallest amount of genetic material is copied and then tested to see if there is a match. With this test there has to be enough material already for it to show a positive without replicating any material. That is why this works best for someone with symptoms because if it is COVID they likely have enough virus for the test to pick it up. The good news is that it is pretty specific so if you do pop a positive then it's pretty likely that you do have COVID. (Well I guess that wouldn't be good news).
Here's the FDA fact sheet on the EUA for a different specific test.
https://www.fda.gov/media/141570/download
So in my opinion this test is better suited for people who are symptomatic who want to know if it's COVID or some other kind of cold like illness. It's okay for surveillance but it's not going to be sensitive enough if you don't have symptoms for anything really crucial. So any real critical use case like say visiting an unvaccinated grandparent, I would not trust it enough. Also keep in mind you really should follow it up with a second test, ideally a PCR. So for instance we had to use one this weekend for my daughter. She developed mild symptoms but since the healthcare system is so swamped our pediatrician declined to test her since she had such mild symptoms. I did another rapid test (couldn't find this one) on her and she was negative. So we used that to guide our level of quarantine for her at home. We're both vaccinated but her sister is too young. We're still keeping her home until the PCR results come in.
Also keep in mind that the test only detects virus at the time you take it. It sounds obvious but remember when you test in your clinical course can have a huge factor on what the test shows. If you take it too early or too late there might not yet be enough virus in the sample for the test to detect it. That's why they give you two and tell you to take the other one 36 hours after the first one to give you a much better predictor on if you have COVID.
But remember the best thing you can do to help yourself, your loved ones and your community is mask up around others and GET VACCINATED!
Stay safe
What's the difference between this and PCR tests?
- These are rapid tests you do at home. They are not as accurate as PCR tests and can have false negatives. But they are convenient. Of course, there is risk of user error on top of it not being as accurate. That's why there are two tests per box. Each should be taken 3 days apart to confirm the negative.
Aren't these free? What tests are free?
- Covid PCR tests (not these Antigen Rapid Tests) are generally free at local pharmacies, testing centers, or urgent cares. This varies per state so always call and ask first! Your family doctor will charge you for the doctor visit, but usually not for the test. Biden's new plan is hoping to expand FREE covid PCR testing to 10,000 more retail pharmacies across the country.
What's this about 35% cheaper tests?
- Another part of Biden's plan is to make these AT HOME ANTIGEN RAPID TESTS available at retail locations like Walmart, Kroger, and Amazon available and sold AT COST, which should make them about 35% cheaper than their regular retail price. You should probably not expect them to drop much lower than these sale prices, if at all. This should all happen sometime next week. Availability should also increase due to Biden invoking the defense production act to produce more of these rapid tests.
more info found at whitehouse.gov
These rapid tests are ok. Pre test probability comes into play. If you have symptoms and test positive, it likely is a true positive. If you don't have symptoms and test positive, it could be a false positive. The PCR doesn't come with those caveats.
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I saw on the news that prices will drop by 35% by end of the week. I'm guessing that's why they are marked down.
I have been looking for these with no luck. I figured after three visits to the pediatrician for Covid tests since school started, $14 per test is worth skipping the hassle.
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I saw on the news that prices will drop by 35% by end of the week. I'm guessing that's why they are marked down.
I have been looking for these with no luck. I figured after three visits to the pediatrician for Covid tests since school started, $14 per test is worth skipping the hassle.
Moot point for us now since the whole family got it 2 weeks ago. Fully vaccinated plus Covid, I should be bulletproof for a while.
Until Mu…
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https://apnews.com/article/joe-bi...46a6fb89be
Some Googling suggests the manufacturing cost of rapid tests is in the range of $1 - 5, so these 2-packs may go down to $2 - 10.
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You can test yourself on Monday, January 1st, and get a negative result ..... but be positive on Tuesday, January 2nd, because it takes time for the virus to get a foot hold, get busy, and then appear in your nasal mucous.
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The efficacy of not getting tested at all is 0%, so rapid tests are extremely useful despite being well below 100%. IMO the government should be mailing everyone free rapid tests to take weekly.
Here's an article with some of the numbers: https://www.healthline.
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These rapid tests are ok. Pre test probability comes into play. If you have symptoms and test positive, it likely is a true positive. If you don't have symptoms and test positive, it could be a false positive. The PCR doesn't come with those caveats.
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