PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Biden administration is aiming to make at-home rapid tests cheaper and more accessible, though critics say the plan has some flaws.
Health experts have said the tests could play a key role in slowing the spread of the virus.
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. Judith O'Donnell, also a professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, said there are a bunch of quality rapid tests currently available in the United States.
“If you develop symptoms, these tests will be very good, very accurate at telling you whether or not you have COVID-19," said Dr. O'Donnell.
“Being able to do a test in your own house, rather than having to schedule an appointment to go to an urgent care center or go to an emergency room or to a testing site, is a level of convenience that we didn't have a year ago.”
She added that the convenience and speed of those home tests could play an important role in fighting the spread of the virus.
“That's the other piece of this," said Dr. O'Donnell. "The faster we know that somebody has COVID, the faster we can put them into isolation, and the less likely they are to transmit them to somebody else," she said.
“For a vaccinated population, we may not have much in the way of symptoms after we've been exposed. But as we've all heard, there can be breakthrough infections that are asymptomatic.”
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She says in addition to lower spread, the tests can also be peace of mind for people visiting family or friends during the holidays who may be at higher risk from COVID.
However, each test costs from $10 to $25, and they can be difficult to find.
The Biden administration said the supply of at-home tests had quadrupled, and the price has come down.
Several European countries offer low or no-cost rapid tests.
Under President Biden’s plan, people will be able to pay upfront for the tests then submit receipts to their insurers for reimbursement. But critics cite the upfront cost and hassle.
