Key TakeawaysCostco is selling at-home saliva tests for COVID-19. Currently, the kits are only available online.Medical experts are excited about more testing options, but say that the tests come with caveats, including the possibility of user error.If you are having symptoms of COVID-19, skip the at-home test. Instead, see a medical professional for assessment and testing.

Key Takeaways

Costco is selling at-home saliva tests for COVID-19. Currently, the kits are only available online.Medical experts are excited about more testing options, but say that the tests come with caveats, including the possibility of user error.If you are having symptoms of COVID-19, skip the at-home test. Instead, see a medical professional for assessment and testing.

Retailer Costco is now offering at-home testing for COVID-19. Currently, the saliva tests are only available online at Costco’s website.

According to Costco’s website, customers can choose from two kits: theCOVID-19 Saliva PCR Test Kit with Video Observationat $139.99, or theCOVID-19 Saliva PCR Test Kit, for $129.99. Neither test is available in Pennsylvania, Nevada, or Maryland.

Jyotsna Shah, PhD, president of IGeneX, Inc., a Bay Area laboratory providing COVID-19 testing for hospitals, employers, and airline travelers, weighed in on the new at-home testing. Shah says she is encouraged to see more testing available at retailers like Costco.

“It’s great to see retailers that we visit regularly providing access to COVID-19 testing,” Shah says. “Especially saliva-based tests, which are easier to collect than a nasal swab and likely just as accurate.”

Results from Costco’s test will be available within 24 to 48 hours from the time the lab receives your kit if you live in the United States. Once your results are in, you can view them online through a HIPAA-secure app.

But Shah also points out some drawbacks to these at-home tests, like the possibility for error when carrying out the test yourself, and a lack of guidance if you receive positive results.

Will COVID-19 Be Around Forever?

Are At-Home Tests Accurate?

Costco and the other retailers currently offering at-home COVID-19 tests are relying on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which use genetic material from a swab of your nose and mouth to look for COVID-19.

According toCostco’s website, “PCR tests are the gold standard testing method with the most accurate sensitivity and specificity currently on the market.”

Shah says it’s important to consider that there is room for error—whether it be on the part of the user or the lab that processes the results. “Customers need to understand that these tests are not done exclusively at home," Shah says.

Jyotsna Shah, PhDUsing an at-home test in its current form may provide peace of mind for anxious patients, but after the result is provided, the patients are largely left on their own.

Jyotsna Shah, PhD

Using an at-home test in its current form may provide peace of mind for anxious patients, but after the result is provided, the patients are largely left on their own.

Costco’s tests aren’t the only ones on the market:Everlywell, Vault, and hims & hers have also developed at-home options for testing for COVID-19.

When to See Your Doctor

Ultimately, Shah recommends that those interested in a COVID-19 test work with a medical professional who can evaluate their symptoms, assess any exposure they may have had to at-risk individuals, and provide guidance throughout the testing process—including selecting which lab to work with and interpreting the results.

“Using an at-home test in its current form may provide peace of mind for anxious patients," Shah says." But after the result is provided, the patients are largely left on their own."

What This Means for YouAt-home COVID tests like the one now available at Costo might be an option for some people who are concerned about whether they have the virus or need test results in order to travel. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has it, seek help from a medical professional. They will be able to guide you through the testing and treatment process, should your result be positive.

What This Means for You

At-home COVID tests like the one now available at Costo might be an option for some people who are concerned about whether they have the virus or need test results in order to travel. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has it, seek help from a medical professional. They will be able to guide you through the testing and treatment process, should your result be positive.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of the Commissioner.Coronavirus testing basics.Altamirano J, Govindarajan P, Blomkalns AL, Kushner LE, Stevens BA, Pinsky BA, et al.Assessment of sensitivity and specificity of patient-collected lower nasal specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing.JAMA Netw Open; 3(6):e2012005.

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of the Commissioner.Coronavirus testing basics.Altamirano J, Govindarajan P, Blomkalns AL, Kushner LE, Stevens BA, Pinsky BA, et al.Assessment of sensitivity and specificity of patient-collected lower nasal specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing.JAMA Netw Open; 3(6):e2012005.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of the Commissioner.Coronavirus testing basics.Altamirano J, Govindarajan P, Blomkalns AL, Kushner LE, Stevens BA, Pinsky BA, et al.Assessment of sensitivity and specificity of patient-collected lower nasal specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing.JAMA Netw Open; 3(6):e2012005.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of the Commissioner.Coronavirus testing basics.

Altamirano J, Govindarajan P, Blomkalns AL, Kushner LE, Stevens BA, Pinsky BA, et al.Assessment of sensitivity and specificity of patient-collected lower nasal specimens for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing.JAMA Netw Open; 3(6):e2012005.

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