Local urgent care testing at-home strep tests
MIAMI TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) -- A local urgent care is now testing at-home strep test kits.
The study is being conducted at WellNow Urgent Care in Miami Township and at other healthcare facilities around the country.
Checkable Healthcare is the company developing the test, if approved, the company says it would be the first at-home strep test.
Checkable Healthcare says anyone with two or more strep symptoms over the age of five can participate at a healthcare facility offering the test. Both kids and adults have to have another adult with them, adults who show up alone cannot participate.
Then, the facility will use this rapid test to test for strep and will also send a lab test off to make sure this rapid test is accurate.
Clinical Research Coordinator at WellNow, Pamela Waddell says right now they are just collecting data and if the results are the same as the lab results, it may be marketed for public use.
It only tests for strep A and is very similar to a COVID test, but you swab your throat instead of your nose.
"The reason why I think the at-home test is good is because we are going towards telehealth as we saw with the pandemic, our hospitals, our doctors offices our urgent cares are just crazy busy and things like this being on the market gives people options so they can use it for telehealth," Waddell said.
Strep symptoms include a sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing, red tonsils or throat, and you may have white dots or patches.
"If you've had strep and you've had it before you know and so you don't have to go out into public or go to the emergency room or your doctor's office or the urgent cares were you are spreading or have the potential of spreading," Waddell said.
Your participation not only helps with research, but you will also get a $100 gift card to Amazon.
WellNow expects to be conducting this study for the forseeable future, it does accept walk-ins.
