Several different COVID tests are now available for purchase at retail pharmacies in Massachusetts and across the country; but experts stress that, as more self-diagnostic kits become commercially available, officials should not abandon widespread free testing in this late stage of the pandemic.
And while the new rapid at-home testing products provide more options and on-demand results, relaxing testing rates or deviating from existing testing protocols could hurt progress made in the pandemic, experts warn, especially in lower-income communities — which are also among the communities hardest hit by COVID — where residents may not be able to afford the over-the-counter tests that range in price from $25 to more than $100 for one test.
The way forward continues to be rigorous and widespread free testing, experts say.