EverlyWell COVID-19 Testing kit
(Photo : EverlyWell)

A research company in the United States recently revealed a home testing kit for COVID-19 which will be available beginning March 23.

EverlyWell is a health and wellness company known for rolling out affordable and simple at-home testing kits. The company provides consumers with digital results within days.

Founded in 2015, the company has since introduced tests for food sensitivity, cholesterol and lipids, Lyme disease and ovarian reserve---among others.

The company is partnered with multiple laboratories certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).

EverlyWell will initially roll out 30,000 kits and plans to reach a quarter of a million people weekly.

The company announced it will provide a $1 million development incentive earlier this month. The incentive would be awarded to certified laboratories who fulfilled requirements and prioritized the development of new coronavirus diagnostic tests.

The COVID-19 at-home test kits can be requested online by individuals who have developed symptoms. Consumers will be asked to answer a screening questionnaire developed based on guidelines released by federal health agencies such as the CDC.

Each testing kit will contain registration information, easy-to-follow instructions, sterile tools for sample collection, and a pre-paid return shipping.

Digital test results are expected to be available within two days of the lab receiving the sample. The results will be reviewed by physicians and sent by text and email.

Patients who tests positive for COVID-19 will be provided a free consultation with board-certified healthcare officials. Results will be broken down to give patients a better understanding of how it might affect their health and the best course of action.

The kits are priced at $135. EverlyWell also released full pricing details:

  • $9 were spent on materials which include components and assembly,
  • $33 were assigned for shipping the kits to consumers and back to lab partners,
  • $50 were from testing fees by independent laboratories,
  • $33 were used to cover the cost of support, technology, infrastructure, and customer care; and,
  • $10 were to cover telehealth support for ordering and diagnosis.

The at-home testing kits could help diagnose more cases amid growing concerns about spreading the disease. It could also lessen the pressure on government-provided kits which has been criticized for a slow roll-out.

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Roche Diagnostics, a leading industrial manufacturer of medicines since 1896, has also received approval from the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of its coronavirus test kits.

The company has begun shipping over 400,000 kits to hospitals and labs as of March 13. The kits are expected to be delivered by weekly shipments.

The FDA announced on Monday that companies and labs who are developing kits no longer have to wait for approval for emergency use authorization.

The agency urged state authorities to take charge of authorizing the tests and determining the validity and accuracy of the results.

Companies who are reportedly developing at-home COVID-19 tests include:

Individuals who are experiencing coronavirus-like symptoms can contact EverlyWell and avail testing kits by sending them an email at contact@everlywell.com.

They can also be reached at 1-855-422-3855.