As COVID-19 testing moves from hospitals to homes, all kinds of companies have stepped up to the plate to offer testing kits of their own. Now, Amazon is entering the game with their own brand of COVID-19 testing kit, and you can buy one right now.
An Amazon Test Kit, Right to Your Door
Amazon announced its new COVID-19 test kit in a post on its blog, About Amazon. The process is quite simple; when you buy a kit, it'll arrive at your place with Amazon Prime shipping at no additional cost. Once you've used the swap to get a sample, you send the kit off to one of Amazon's own laboratories.
There, scientists will test it using RT-PCR and will give you a result within 24 hours of the kit arriving at the lab. The RT-PCR technique is given the gold standard by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, so there are no corners cut here. Once the results are in, you can get updated instantly over the internet.
Right now, these kits are only available to buy and use in the US. It costs $39.99 for the kit, and one kit is good for one test. Anyone over the age of 18 can order one, even if they don't have a prescription or feeling any symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Cem Sibay, Amazon's vice president, talked about how this COVID-19 kit is the perfect blend of medical science and Amazon's renowned service:
The Amazon collection kit offers customers the convenience they’ve come to expect from Amazon.com by providing access to COVID-19 testing whenever and wherever they need it. The test collection kit provides highly accurate and timely results, helping customers feel more confident as they safely return to travel, work, college, and daily life.
Speaking of travel, this kit meets COVID-19 requirements when moving within the US or to select international locations... except Hawaii. As such, Amazon's kit may be a handy traveler's tool in case you're worried about certain symptoms arising.
When Amazon and Medicine Collide
With COVID-19 still making the rounds, both governments and companies are working to give people a way to test for the virus from the comfort of their own homes. Now, Amazon is planning to get into the game with its own branded kit.
Unfortunately, Amazon may be a little late to the party. Back in March 2021, DoorDash opened up its own COVID-19 kit delivery service to help people get the facts on their personal health.