Every year, flu season comes around as the weather starts to get colder out. Although flu symptoms are typically mild in most people, they can be debilitating and even life-threatening for vulnerable groups, such as young children, seniors, and individuals with underlying conditions. In the current climate, you may be wondering whether it’s a good idea to conduct at-home flu testing.
Understanding The Flu
The flu is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses and patients often exhibit similar symptoms as COVID-19. When you use an at-home flu test, all you need to do is a swab of your saliva or a nasal swab. It’s important that the test results are interpreted accurately, under the advice of a doctor if possible.
Should You Get an At-Home Flu Test?
Although there are no set recommendations for when an individual should get an at-home flu test, you may wish to do so if your condition is particularly concerning. This can be because you are currently pregnant or are more vulnerable to serious illness due to an underlying medical condition. However, if it is flu season and your symptoms are mild, you may not find much benefit in doing the test.
The benefits of at-home testing include the convenience of not having to make an appointment and physically go down to the clinic. This can be a valid concern if you are worried about catching infections from being in a doctor’s office, surrounded by other patients. Today, some flu tests on the market can do a dual job, testing for flu and COVID-19 simultaneously.
What Types of At-Home Flu Tests Are There?
If you have decided to go ahead with an at-home flu test, it will benefit you to know that there are two main types of tests out there. These are:
Rapid antigen tests: The rapid antigen test can be self-administered by inserting a swab into your nostril. Results are interpreted based on the presence or absence of viral antigens, which can be found in the respiratory tract. You are typically able to identify the result by yourself within 15 minutes.
Molecular tests: Instead of looking for traces of antigens, the purpose of a molecular test is to identify genetic material that can be linked to the influenza virus. The swab gets sent to a laboratory for interpretation.
Get The Flu Test Kits You Need from Linear DX
As a medical distribution and consulting company based in Los Angeles, Linear DX is committed to providing our customers with the quality medical devices and testing supplies they need. When you place an order with us, you can benefit from standard 2-day nationwide shipping and same-day local delivery within California. Our supplies are sourced from top global brands and are ready to ship both domestically and internationally upon order placement. When you shop with us, you can be assured that there’s no minimum order size, but please feel free to contact us for wholesale pricing if you are looking to make a bulk purchase.
