Through the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, we've needed answers.

We've filed into long lines, ventured to doctors' offices and urgent care clinics, waited days for results or for home tests to arrive by mail, and postponed gatherings, celebrations and holidays.

Now, those much-needed answers will be in your hands.

Our BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test is now available at CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart starting this week and will be rolled out nationwide in the next two weeks.

What is it?

• A rapid antigen self-test to detect both asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19.
• Identical to our existing professional test that has been used nationwide since August 2020, bringing proven performance to the shelves.

Where can I get it?

• The BinaxNOW Self Test will initially be available at CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens and Walmart both online and in-stores. We plan to make the test available at other food, drug and mass merchandiser retailers in several weeks.
• It is available over the counter and does not require a prescription.
• The self-test is indicated for children as young as 2 years old when samples are collected by an adult, and for all people 15 and older.

How does it work?

• The test for is for self-use when people test themselves twice within three days, with 36 hours between the two tests.
• The test will be simple, even for people who have never tested themselves. All needed materials (including a nasal swab and easy-to-follow instructions) will be included in the box.
• The test uses the minimally invasive, more comfortable nasal swab (not the deep nasopharyngeal swab that may cause people to sneeze).

Our trusted, affordable, easy-to-use 15-minute test can now detect COVID-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic people in your own home, on your own time, with none of the inconveniences and high prices of COVID tests’ past.

With the BinaxNOW Self Test, we’re fulfilling what we’ve always envisioned: Grabbing a test kit box from your local retailer and knowing your COVID-19 status in 15 minutes, free of hassle.

The authorization of our BinaxNOW Self Test will remove the remaining barriers that may have prevented the masses from accessing tests while permitting serial (frequent) testing for asymptomatic people, helping society collectively return to daily life. Our unmatched manufacturing scale and ability to meet demand means you’ll see our tests stocked on shelves when and where you need them.

Finally, the BinaxNOW Self Test is available to all, directly from your local retailer with no doctor, proctor or prescription necessary. So, what does this mean?

While vaccines are rolling out, not all of us are able to receive them as soon as we'd like. And because not all of us are yet fully protected, the BinaxNOW Self Test provides some added peace of mind in minutes. In tandem with vaccines and public health measures, frequent testing with BinaxNOW Self Test can help catch infection and slow the spread of COVID-19.

As you start your day, you can swab your nose, kick off your morning routine while waiting 15 minutes for the test results, get your status, and gain an extra boost of confidence before running out the door.

The self test enables serial testing as well. Frequent testing entails testing yourself twice within three days, with 36 hours between tests.

You can have the extra protection needed to see a friend that you haven't seen since last year. Your family can more safely gather for celebrations. You can coordinate the COVID-conscious bridal showers, baby showers, and engagement celebrations you've been looking forward to. Your child can have a safer birthday party. You can have clarity before attending religious services, weddings, holidays, and days in the office.

Since announcing our BinaxNOW professional test last August, the rapid antigen test has revolutionized the testing process. We've ramped up capacity and have seen our tests make a difference in K-12 schools, workplaces, nursing homes, universities and in communities. We've created our NAVICA app to pair with BinaxNOW, allowing people to store, access and display their BinaxNOW test results. We've fulfilled a U.S. government order of 150 million BinaxNOW test cards and made BinaxNOW available for home use.

Our BinaxNOW Self Test can help restore a sense of confidence in moments that even just a few months ago may have felt like a distant dream.

No more lines, no more wait times, no more barriers and no more inconveniences. Answers, in your hands.

This story was originally published on April 19, 2021 and updated on May 30, 2022 to share that BinaxNOW Self Test is now available at retail stores and online. It was again updated on June 08, 2022.