This is a big, big deal.

Our first at-home self-test COVID kit has been approved by the FDA. Unfortunately, this new self-test kit is not as accurate as your traditional test, because it can only identify one gene in the COVID strand. Still, this is a win and should be a game-changer for many of us who have been exposed.

To receive this new, self-test kit, you'll need a prescription from your physician.

If you get your hands on this self-test kit, there is one thing you should know. Timing is absolutely everything. Assistant for Translational Research at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine Dr. Lucio Miele says, "If you run it too early after an exposure, you are going to get a false-negative no matter how good the test is, you have to run it at the right time. The smart way to monitor one’s self is to be tested several times every few days really literally.”

Basically, if you feel like you've been exposed to the virus, don't use this self-test kit right away. As we all know by now, this virus hits everyone very differently. In fact, right now I have two close friends who have contracted COVID-19 at the same time. One felt symptoms almost immediately but recovered very quickly. The other has gone over ten days straight with a fever he just can't break, after initially seeing symptoms later after exposure.

If you are interested in getting your hands on the self-test kit, talk to your physician during your next appointment.

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