Can at-home COVID-19 tests make holiday gatherings safer?

By CARLA K. JOHNSON
AP Medical Writer

Home test kits for COVID-19 can add a layer of safety and reassurance to holiday gatherings by providing on-the-spot results. Test kits are available at drugstores without a prescription. A box with two tests typically costs about $25. Swabs, testing solution and instructions are included. These tests are not as accurate as the tests done in hospitals and at testing sites, but they give results within minutes. That quick turnaround can be helpful during the holidays. Home testing should be used in combination with vaccination, which is the best way to protect against the coronavirus.