WASHINGTON — The CDC says respiratory illnesses are spreading quickly after a late start to the season.
Hospital visits related to flu, COVID-19, and RSV doubled from the week before Thanksgiving to the week before Christmas.
Since the three illnesses have some similar symptoms, but different treatments, a tweet went viral about tests in Spain that can identify both the flu and COVID-19.
The tweet, with more than 14 thousand retweets and 7 million views, asked, why isn’t that available everywhere?
QUESTION
Is a rapid, at-home test available in the United States that can detect both COVID-19 and the flu?
SOURCES
ANSWER
Yes, a test exists that can quickly detect both COVID-19 and the flu, though it is more expensive than commonly-sold COVID-19 tests.
WHAT WE FOUND
The faster someone knows which respiratory illness they have, the faster they can seek the appropriate treatment and prevent the spread to others.
Only one molecular test has thus far received emergency use authorization from the FDA for the detection of both COVID-19 and the flu.
Lucira's test was authorized in February 2023. The test is a nasal swab. Just like the at-home COVID-19 tests people have become familiar with, the users swab the inside of their nose, place the swab in a liquid, and stir. The test will show in 30 minutes whether the user has COVID-19 or influenza A or B.
Lucira declared bankruptcy days before receiving FDA authorization for the test. A form filed in April 2023 with the Securities and Exchange Commission shows that Lucira was acquired by Pfizer.
Pfizer sells the tests on Amazon for $40 apiece. For comparison, a five-pack of iHealth rapid COVID-19 tests--which do not test for influenza--costs $32 on Amazon.
While looking into this story, the tests were at various times out of stock and in stock. In an emailed statement, a Pfizer spokesperson said, "We anticipate having Lucira back in stock on Amazon by next week and are also working on having the test available in major retail pharmacies soon."
LabCorp also got FDA emergency use authorization in 2022 for an at-home test that can identify COVID-19, the flu, and RSV. It sells for $129 on LabCorp's website. A big distinction between LabCorp's test and Pfizer's test is that LabCorp's is a PCR test, so users have to mail it to the lab, with results typically returned a day or two after the lab receives it.