Amazon has rolled out various changes, policies, and new programs over the course of the pandemic so far, but is now continuing that with its latest release. Launching its own brand of COVID-19 tests, Amazon will now ship at-home packages right to your door and then cover delivery back to one of its own lab work facilities. With 24-hour result turnaround times and no prescription needed, you can learn all about the new Amazon COVID-19 tests down below.
You can now buy a COVID-19 test on Amazon
For those who have gotten a COVID-10 test in the past, Amazon’s approach is quite similar and isn’t anything new in terms of the actual usage. Once the kit arrives, you’ll perform the typical nasal swab before wrapping everything up in the included packaging. Amazon itself covers the return shipping to one of its in-house laboratories with a pre-paid UPS next-day shipping label, which will notably get the results back to you in 24 hours after it arrives at the facility in Hebron, Kentucky. Though despite the fast turnaround time, this is not a rapid test nor will it confirm immunity or detect antibodies.
Amazon also notes that it is using the more accurate PT-PCR method for its COVID-19 tests, hence having to wait for the lab work to be sent back to you. There should also be some peace of mind in the fact that the retailer also received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its kits from the US Food and Drug Administration.
The recent announcement that Amazon would be selling COVID-19 test kits certainly comes as a bit of a surprise, but follows a move we saw last fall from the behemoth of an online retailer. Back in November, Amazon began running a new Pharmacy program for filling Prime members’ prescriptions. Of course, that’s still a far cry away from offering full-blown pandemic testing kits. But at least Amazon has had some background in the medical space.
Now available for purchase
Those looking to score their own Amazon COVID-19 Test Collection Kit now or at any point in the future will have to pay $39.99 for a single-use package. As of now this is only available to shoppers here in the United States. Included specifically in the kit are the swab, a collection tube with saline, a plastic bag with an absorbent pad, and the return box. And there’s no prescription needed, either.
9to5Toys’ take:
Amazon continuing to journey into the medical and pharmaceutical side of its online product distribution continues to be one of the more interesting ventures from the retailer, and the news that anyone can buy a COVID-19 test package is just the latest development. I’m sure many will probably find that the service ends up being beneficial since it’s shipped right to your door.
I suppose the silver lining is that if Amazon can source enough of these en masse, let’s hope that the days of limited tests and delayed result times will be a thing of the past, even if COVID-19 won’t be.
Source: Amazon
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