The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the United States and the world. To slow down the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing often, especially if youve recently been in contact with people who have symptoms or test positive.
When it comes to at-home testing, the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test is one of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized at-home COVID-19 tests under emergency use authorization (EUA).
You can use this test whether you have symptoms. If you dont have symptoms, the manufacturers advise you to take the test twice in 3 days.
Heres what you need to know about this test kit, safety precautions, price, and more.
The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test is an FDA-authorized at-home test kit for detecting active infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in people with and without symptoms.
According to the company, this test kit can screen for many SARS-CoV-2 strains, including the Delta and Omicron variants.
The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test is a rapid test that uses a shallow nasal swab sample to check for the presence or absence of proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19.
Heres how it works:
Healthline senior associate Sydney Hanan tested out the BinaxNOW COVID-19 kit and found it to be fairly similar to other at-home testing kits that are available.
It came with pretty much everything I needed to take the two tests, including two test cards, two dropper bottles, two swabs, and an instruction sheet, she said. The only thing I needed to provide myself was a time, which was easy enough to do on my phone.
Sydney noted that shes taken different types of at-home COVID-19 tests and that BinaxNOW was straightforward and easy.
[It] takes about 20 minutes in total (5 to perform the test, and 15 to get the results), she said.
According to the CDC, if your results are positive, you can trust the accuracy of an at-home COVID-19 test kit. This includes the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test.
However, you may not be able to rely on this test kit (or similar at-home options) if your results show negative. You might still have COVID-19, especially if youre showing COVID-19 symptoms.
The manufacturers recommend testing again after 24 to 48 hours to confirm your results. If it still shows negative despite your symptoms, its best to consult your doctor.
If you see an invalid result, the test didnt work, and youll need to take another test.
The FDA highlighted a study that found that the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test kit was 91.7% accurate at detecting positive cases and 100% reliable at finding negative cases.
That being said, the FDA also stated that because the study was small, it estimates that the kit can correctly identify 73% to 98.9% of positive cases.
Another study that tested people who had been showing COVID-19 symptoms for at least 7 days saw that the kit was 84.6% accurate at correctly identifying a person with COVID-19. It was also 98.5% accurate at detecting a person without COVID-19.
Other studies suggest that you can rely on the kit to detect the Omicron and Delta variants, and other variants of concern (VOC).
BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test is a product of Abbott Laboratories, an internationally recognized healthcare technology company.
However, Abbott Laboratories is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau and currently has a rating o 1.06 out of 5 stars. In the past year, the company has closed 65 complaints. Most complaints are about products other than the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test, but some note that the companys customer service is poor.
The test kit is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars from 10,540 global ratings on Amazon. Most of the reviews were positive, noting that the kit was easy to use and worked well for detecting COVID-19.
A few complained about the boxs contents. Some said that the box came with only one kit instead of two. Another mentioned that the boxs seal had already broken on arrival.
You can get the BinaxNOW COVID-19 test at retailers like:
According to the FDA, you can get a negative result even when you have COVID-19 (this is called a false negative). Still, the company doesnt mention the possibility of getting a false-positive result. Although there arent any reported false-positive cases with this test kit, its still something that you should be aware of.
A 2021 study observed that rapid COVID-19 tests detected infection with SARS-CoV-2 in 72% of people with symptoms and 58% without symptoms.
As of early 2022, people with a health plan or health insurance can get any FDA-authorized at-home test for free or be reimbursed for paying for the at-home test. You can contact your provider for more information.
People 15 years and older, vaccinated or unvaccinated, with or without COVID-19 symptoms, can take this test. But if youre without symptoms and your results show negative, take another test in 24 to 48 hours.
An adult can administer the test for children 2 years or older.
At-home rapid COVID-19 test kits are quick, cost-effective ways of testing to see whether you have COVID-19. You can also take these tests wherever you are and get your results in minutes.
The BinaxNOW COVID-19 test is an FDA-authorized COVID-19 test kit under a EUA that can detect whether you have the virus. Your results will be available within 15 to 30 minutes.
While this test kit is FDA-authorized, it isnt 100% accurate and can still reflect false or inconclusive results. You can consult your doctor or take an in-person PCR test for more accurate results.
Frances Gatta is a freelance healthcare writer with experience writing on general health, womens health, healthcare technology, mental health, and personalized nutrition. You can connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Patient deaths: 1,021,306
Total vaccine doses distributed: 774,307,105
Patients whove received the first dose: 260,327,743
Patients whove received the second dose: 222,455,652
% of population fully vaccinated (both doses, not including boosters): 67%
% tied to Omicron variant: 100%
% tied to Other: 0%
Coronavirus cases and deaths among nursing home residents rose statewide for the second straight month after a long period of decline, according to data from AARP Virginia, the state chapter of the national advocacy group for Americans aged 50 and older.
Rates are still far lower than in the early days of the pandemic, when the virus swept through long-term care facilities largely unchecked. From late April to mid-June, resident case rates in Virginia increased from 2.74 per 100 to 4.14, while death rates increased from .04 per 100 to .06, according to a Thursday news release.
Data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indicates that just over 84 percent of nursing home residents in Virginia are fully vaccinated and boosted, and the states continued low death rate among those vulnerable patients speaks to the strong protection vaccines convey against severe disease and death. But the rise is still concerning, advocates say, amid the continued spread of highly infectious subvariants. Until the most recent increase over the last two months, both cases and deaths had been steadily declining in nursing homes following the states historic winter surge.
Rising deaths and cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents and staff nationally show that for their sakes, we must remain vigilant, David DeBiasi, the advocacy director of AARP Virginia, said in a statement. And we must hold nursing homes accountable for providing high quality care and safe environments.
For much of the pandemic, cases and deaths in nursing homes have been a bellwether for spread in the broader community. When transmission is high, it increases the risk of staff members catching and spreading the virus to elderly patients.
Eighteen counties and localities in Virginia are currently seeing a high level of transmission, including the city of Richmond, according to data from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. And statewide, case numbers are still on the rise, driven largely by the highly infectious omicron subvariant BA.5, which shows signs of being able to evade immunity from previous vaccines and infections.
The New York Times reported that the subvariant is driving a new wave of cases, reinfections and hospitalizations across the country, and theres also been a rise in COVID admissions statewide, according to data from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. Deaths currently remain at their lowest level since the start of the pandemic, based on reporting from the Virginia Department of Health.
But on average, case rates across Virginia are roughly four times higher than they were last summer, according to the most recent report from UVAs Biocomplexity Institute, which provides modeling and projections to state health officials. Hospitalization numbers are also rising more quickly than cases, which thanks to the proliferation of at-home testing are going unreported to a much larger degree than earlier in the pandemic.
AARP Virginia said the increase of cases and deaths among some of the most vulnerable Virginians heightened concerns that a new surge is upon us. But health experts continue to emphasize that COVID-19 vaccines are still highly protective against severe disease and death, even with immune-evading subvariants.
In late June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration directed vaccine manufacturers to develop booster doses that targeted newer omicron variants. Those shots are expected to be released in the fall, and UVA researchers urged anyone already eligible for a fourth dose to get one as soon as possible.
BA.4 and BA.5 are both capable of causing reinfections among those with natural and vaccine-induced immunity, they wrote. Models suggest these two subvariants may cause a small case surge in the coming months.
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Covid infection levels in the UK have risen by almost 30% in a week, with an estimated 3.5 million people thought to have had the disease in the first week of July, as a leading epidemiologist called for a return of free lateral flow tests.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics based on swabs collected from randomly selected households show that 2,873,600 people in the community in England are estimated to have had Covid in the week ending 6 July about one in 19 people. The week before, the figure was 2,154,000 people or about one in 25.
Increases were also seen in other parts of the UK with an estimated one in 16 people in Scotland and one in 17 in both Wales and Northern Ireland thought to have had Covid in the most recent week.
Overall, about 3,498,700 people across the UK are thought to have had Covid in the most recent week, according to the survey estimates, up from 2,714,900 the week before a rise of 28.9%.
Infections are showing no signs of decreasing, with rates approaching levels last seen in March this year at the peak of the Omicron BA.2 wave, said Sarah Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the Covid-19 Infection Survey.
Rates have continued to increase across the UK and among all age groups. We will continue to closely monitor the data.
While not yet reaching peak infection levels seen earlier this year, when about one in 13 people in England had Covid, the latest estimates are the highest yet for a summer month.
At present, infection levels are highest in the east of England, with an estimated 5.9% of people thought to have Covid in the most recent week, and among those aged from school year 12 to age 24, for which the figure was 6.5%.
Prof Rowland Kao, an epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh, said it is unclear how much of the rise can be attributed to the wider circulation of Covid variants and how much may be down to a decline in vaccine-induced immunity or increased transmissibility of variants such as BA.4 and BA.5. Factors such as increases in contact, Kao added, are also expected to play a role.
A slow decline in rates in Scotland does [suggest] that this is a wave that will decline again but we may be subject to further waves, especially as variants of concern will likely continue to arise, said Kao.
We may never experience the severe impacts of the first few waves of Covid, but we may experience several severe bumps in the road going forward, especially if Covid is combined with rises in other respiratory infections in the winter, which is likely.
Concerns have also been raised as a result of increasing hospitalisations involving people with Covid, with hospital admissions figures approaching the peaks seen in previous waves this year. Figures for patients primarily being treated for Covid are also increasing, with data from NHS England showing a rise from 2,165 on 21 June to 4,693 on 12 July.
My fear is that we shall now routinely face summer pressures of a kind only previously seen during winter, said Dr Naru Narayanan, president of the HCSA, the hospital doctors union. In the short term, we need more stringent infection controls, but lets be clear that much of the current crisis predates the pandemic.
Kao cautioned against behaving as though Covid doesnt exist any more, noting those who are eligible should get their booster jab, while it is still important for people to isolate if they are infected.
He added that making lateral flow tests free once more would be enormously valuable, so long as people were also encouraged to use them especially when entering risky situations such as going to crowded locations or on public transport. Kao also backed the use of protective FFP2 masks in places with a high risk of contact.
KANSAS (KSNT) A new grant project will allow more than 21,000 Kansas homes and businesses to receive high-speed internet for the first time.
This grant is the first of its kind and comes from an $83.5 million program through the Kansas Department of Commerces Office of Broadband Development.
The program is a result of Kansas Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, which was approved by the U.S Department of Treasury. The Capital Projects Fund is a way to support the expansion of work and schools.
The Capital Projects Fund represents the largest grant opportunity to date from the Office of Broadband Development,Jade Piros de Carvalho, Director of the Office of Broadband Development said. We are excited about partnering with providers to make a positive impact in communities that have fallen in the digital divide.
The entities that are eligible to apply for the program include internet service providers, cities, counties and non-profit organizations.
The window to apply will be open July 18 and last four weeks. The application will be available by clicking here.
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Find todays Top Stories on KSNT.com for Topeka and Northeast Kansas.
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers described the role of local governments in responses to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic across 25 cities.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was initially detected in the Wuhan city of China toward the end of December 2019 and has demanded responses from all government strata (including governments of states, provinces, districts, and the nation). Responses to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have underpinned the importance of local government involvement in pandemic management.
The substantial societal risks posed by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have been recognized by public health communities. Due to the presence of a dense population and high connectivity, cities can be considered a gateway to enhancing or limiting the transmission of infectious organisms. Therefore, understanding infectious disease detection, responses, and management in cities is a key public health concern.
In the present survey-based study, researchers described the involvement of local governments in 25 global cities in SARS-CoV-2 pandemic responses to improve understanding of the implementation and coordination of activities in cities for responding to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
The study included local public health authorities of cities which were in partnership with healthy cities (PHC) for (i) understanding the government levels that were accountable for particular activities as part of COVID-19 pandemic responses; (ii) documenting the implementation of activities for pandemic response; (iii) characterizing the challenges in performing activities as part of pandemic responses; and (iv) inquiring about preparedness for the pandemic and epidemics.
In particular, seven cities were included to ensure diversity of context, which were: Addis Ababa, Accra, Bandung, Bengaluru, Kampala, London, and Lima. A questionnaire was developed for surveying and characterizing the coordinated efforts in activities performed for responding to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the implementation of response activities for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, and the level of challenge in performing pandemic response activities.
The questionnaire comprised 30 questions in several formats such as free-responses, Likert scale-based questions, matrices-based questions, and questions with multiple choices for the answer. The questionnaire was translated to Spanish and French for improved comprehensibility and distributed to local authorities in June 2021.
Responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed (RACI) matrices were used, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed to summarize urban experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic responses. In addition, few study participants were interviewed online from June 2021 to August 2021 to improve the validity of the study findings.
Responsible was defined as the government level in which work required for activity completion was implemented; accountable as the government level which oversewed thorough and correct activity completion; consulted as the government level that engaged in communications (two-way) for providing necessary data for activity completion; and informed as the government level updated in terms of a particular activity.
The cities that completed the surveys were Addis Ababa, Accra, Amman, Athens, Bandung, Bangkok, Barcelona, Bengaluru, Buenos Aires, Cali, Colombo, Guadalajara, Kampala, Kigali, Kumasi, Lima, London, Lusaka, Medelln, Ouagadougou, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Vancouver, and Yangon. RACI matrices analysis showed several coordinated structures for responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In cities like Santo Domingo, Amman, and Kumasi, national-level governments were primarily authoritative. In cities such as Vancouver, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, the primary authority lay with subnational-level governments. For cities like Medelln, Bengaluru, and Kampala, the local governments were primarily authoritative.
National-level government authorities were responsible for most pandemic response activities; however, local-level governments were also responsible for key pandemic response activities, particularly the communication of risks and coordination with civil society organizations and community-setting organizations.
Further, the majority of activities as part of pandemic responses were implemented following the confirmation of COVID-19 in cities, many activities were challenging for local-level governments, and almost all local governments envisioned greater engagement in COVID-19 preparedness and responses to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Regarding pandemic preparedness, local governments were involved with communication of risks, mandating behavioral changes in individuals, and coordinating with civil society and community-based organizations. Local governments implemented activities such as mandating the closure of schools and businesses, imposing lockdowns, providing diagnostic SARS-CoV-2 testing, providing quarantine services, contact tracing, improving surging care, and conducting vaccination campaigns. Of the activities, mandating the closure of businesses and behavioral changes such as social distancing and facemask use were considered the most challenging. In addition, local governments reported to be open to financial, technical, material, and personnel assistance.
Overall, the study findings highlighted the increasing importance of involving local authorities in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings could be an essential contribution to the expanding literature, which emphasizes improving responses to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and potential future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.
medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
July 13, 2022 - (Tarrant County) Tarrant County Public Health hosts numerous pop-up COVID-19 clinics across Tarrant County each week in partnership with public and private organizations listed below. Each site has the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and at times the Johnson & Johnson.Infants 6 months and older are eligible for the vaccination. Parents need to bring proof of the childs age and their own ID for the vaccination. Booster vaccinations are available at all of the vaccination locations.
TCPH would like to bring a COVID-19 vaccination clinic to businesses, churches and organizations in the community who are interested in hosting a pop-up clinic. Its easy and free to host a clinic.In addition to the vaccination opportunities below, the cities of Arlington, Fort Worth, Mansfield, North Richland Hills, Hurst, and Tarrant County College have also added opportunities for vaccinations. To find a local vaccine site, the County created a vaccine finder page:VaxUpTC website.
Pop-Up COVID-19 locations:
Greater Saint Stephen First Church Monday, July 18: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.3728 E. Berry St. Fort Worth, TX 76105
The ConnectCommunity CrossroadsTuesday, July 19: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.1516 Hemphill St. Fort Worth, TX 76104
Tarrant County Public Health CIinics:
Northwest Public Health CenterMonday to Friday:8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.3800 Adam Grubb RoadLake Worth, TX 76135
Bagsby-Williams Health CenterMonday to Friday:8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.3212 Miller Ave.Fort Worth, TX 76119
Southeast Public Health CenterMonday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.536 W Randol MillArlington TX, 76011
Main Public Health CenterMonday to Friday:8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.1101 S. Main StreetFort Worth, TX 76104
Southwest Public Health CenterMonday to Friday:8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.6551 Granbury RoadFort Worth, TX 76133
Watauga Public Health CenterMonday to Friday:8 a.m. to 12 p.m.and1 to 5 p.m.6601 Watauga RoadWatauga, TX 76148
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) International Vaccine Implementation and Evaluation (CIVIE) program have been established by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support countries health ministries and related organizations in planning, implementing, and evaluating COVID-19 vaccination programs.
A team of CDC scientists has recently published an article in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases to discuss the role of the CDC in the management of COVID-19 vaccination programs.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has burdened the global healthcare system. Several vaccines have been developed globally to break the chain of infection and control the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an emergency use listing (EUL) and policy recommendations for these vaccines. A total of 10 COVID-19 vaccines have been included in the EUL.
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) is a global initiative to accelerate the development of vaccines and ensure equitable global distribution of vaccines. A total of 145 countries are participating in COVAX, with the US government being the largest contributor.
The CIVIE program has been established by the US CDC to work with the countries ministries of health to support the planning, execution, and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccination programs. A total of 55 countries have been supported by CIVIE, which includes 27% of the global population.
CIVIE has set 7 priority areas, including vaccine policy development, program planning, vaccine confidence and demand, data management and use, workforce development, vaccine safety, and evaluation.
The global-level implementation of COVID-19 vaccines has faced many challenges. The major challenge was the intra- and inter-country delivery and distribution of vaccines.
During the initial phase of vaccination campaigns, there was a significant imbalance between vaccine production and supply and vaccine demand. In addition, there were other factor, including inequitable vaccine distribution, multidose vaccination regimen, lack of evidence for some vaccines, manpower shortage, exhausted healthcare system, inadequate vaccine safety monitoring process, and spread of misinformation, which collectively made the initial vaccine rollout challenging.
Despite initial hurdles, the global COVID-19 vaccination program has provided an immense opportunity to manage the growth of the pandemic and restore the global healthcare and economic systems.
The support provided by CIVIE to the countries health ministries has offered many benefits, including partnership strengthening and new collaboration establishment. In addition, evidence collected from clinical trials and real-world setups has significantly helped improve immunization systems.
These improvements could provide long-term benefits, including developing a novel vaccination platform, strengthening national vaccination programs, establishing new strategies to counteract future public health emergencies, and introducing non-COVID vaccines that were put on hold during the pandemic.
Many lessons were learned from the vaccination programs implemented during the large outbreak of Ebola virus in 2014 2016 in West Africa. These programs faced similar challenges as the COVID-19 vaccination programs, including lack of production and supply and inequitable distribution and access to the vaccines.
Since the Ebola outbreak mainly occurred in rural areas, identifying traditional healers and community healthcare workers has been difficult. This challenge highlighted the need for robust microplanning and the development of a healthcare worker registry to ensure effective immunization.
Ebola vaccination programs highlighted the importance of public communication in developing trust and willingness for vaccination. These experiences helped CIVIE develop effective strategies to improve the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.
For the expansion of seasonal influenza vaccination programs in low-to-middle income countries, CDC initiated the Partnership for Influenza Vaccine Introduction (PIVI) with the Task Force for Global Health (TFGH) and WHO in 2013. This combined initiative immensely helped develop invaluable skills, including policy development, microplanning, communication, and staff training, which in turn accelerated the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV) was developed to prevent meningitis epidemics in Africa. The lessons learned from MACV programs include strategies to rapidly launch mass vaccination campaigns in low-resource setups, introducing public communication services, and developing sustainable vaccination programs.
In addition, to provide additional protection, to minimize the risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, and to maximize the resilience of health-care provision, countries should:
"The updated interim recommendations on vaccination strategy come as cases continue to rise across the European Region," noted Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. "Most countries have either removed or decreased public healthrn measures such as mask mandates, and the summer travel season is upon us, with increased social mixing, within and between countries."
Dr Kluge continued, "Vaccinating everyone who is eligible with the recommended number of primary doses and the first booster dose must remain a priority across the European Region. But a second booster shot should also be provided to the immunocompromised,rn and be considered for other vulnerable people, to reduce the risk of severe disease and the resulting burden on health systems. As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that this virus is still with us and its still dangerous. Enjoyrn the summer, but do so safely, and take a second booster shot if you are eligible."
The full conclusions and recommendations of the ad hoc ETAGE meeting are available online in the document Interim recommendations on COVID-19 vaccination in autumn 2022 for the WHO European Region.
