As flu season continues to rise across the United States this holiday season, it may be worth considering an at-home test for the seasonal illness.
"The flu season this year is earlier and stronger than last year," ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton said Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "When the flu is early and heavy, it raises concern that the total impact can be substantial, not because the flu is different from person to person, but because more people are sick over a longer period of time. That, of course, can strain the healthcare system."
In the United States, 20 states are seeing very high flu-like illnesses, while nine states are seeing high levels.
Read on for everything to know about at-home tests as flu numbers continue to spike:
Flu cases across the country are on the rise and appear to be continuing to spike.
The latest numbers from the CDC estimate that there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths from flu this season so far.
The bulk of cases are linked to the new variant known as subclade K, according to additional testing that’s been done on some of the thousands of samples sent to the CDC.
The mutations seen in the new variant result in a mismatch with this season’s flu vaccine composition. Experts believe that the flu vaccine will still help reduce the risk of severe illness, including hospitalization and death and emphasize it’s not too late to get this season’s shot.
At-home flu tests can be bought at pharmacies nationwide.
Walgreens, Target, CVS and Walmart are among several retailers that sell tests as flu cases continue to rise.
Amazon Prime also lists multiple different brands of at-home flu tests in stock for home delivery.
The prices for at-home flu tests vary depending on the brand.
While prices vary, Walgreens, CVS and Target list options in the range of $20 to $30 range.
Many options come with multiple tests per package.
The at-home flu tests generally work as nasal swabs, allowing users to self-swab their own nostrils while testing.
"These tests can be really helpful," said Sutton. "It's a nasal swab. We've all learned that well throughout the height of the pandemic."
Sutton shared, many tests are able to test for COVID, Flu A and Flu B, noting that the strain causing the concern this season is a type of Flu A.
Most at-home tests involve collecting a sample from the tester's nostril by swirling a swab around the area multiple times before dipping the swab into a solution, and dropping the solution onto a test kit, which reveals a positive or negative result.
Sutton also noted that pharmacists can test and treat for the flu in many states, meaning a positive test could potentially save time, money and a potential trip to the ER for treatment.
Most at-home flu tests offer results back within 15 to 20 minutes.
In the case of flu symptoms, the CDC recommends contacting your health care provider if you are in a high-risk group, experiencing severe symptoms or are concerned about your illness.
"The emergency room should be used for people who are very sick. You should not go to the emergency room if you are only mildly ill," according to the CDC.
How accurate are these tests?
The CDC says these rapid tests are highly accurate, 95-99% specific, when a test is positive, but false negative results are common; sensitivity is only 50-70%.
False-negative results are more likely to occur when influenza prevalence is high in the community, which is typically at the peak of the influenza season.
Conversely, false-positive results are more likely to occur when influenza prevalence in the community is low, which is generally at the beginning and end of the influenza season or periods in which influenza viruses are not circulating, according to the CDC.
To minimize false negative results, the CDC recommends testing as early as possible, within three to four days of illness, but treatment works best when started within 48 hours of symptom onset. Therefore, the CDC says treatment should not be withheld due to a negative test result if a person’s symptoms are consistent with the flu, especially if they are at high risk of severe illness.
Any person who tests positive for the flu should minimize contact with others until they are feeling better. To reduce the risk of spreading respiratory viruses, it’s recommended to practice good hand washing, frequently disinfect or sanitize surfaces that are frequently touched, and consider wearing a mask to reduce the risk of spreading a virus to others when you cannot isolate.
