New rapid at-home COVID test approved by FDA as demand surges
With demand for at-home rapid COVID tests skyrocketing, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new version Friday.
The rapid test from Swiss pharma company Roche was granted emergency use authorization and should see a massive rollout in January, the company announced in a press release.
Many pharmacies already sell at-home rapid tests developed by Binax, which have been stocked since April 2021.
But as omicron sweeps across the country, demand for at-home rapid tests has left store shelves bare and people desperate for another option.
The Roche test can return results within 20 minutes, according to the press release. Roche boasted the capacity to produce “tens of millions” of tests per month.
Both Gov. Kathy Hochul and President Biden have promised to make more at-home tests available to help combat the omicron wave.
