FAQs about antigen self-testing for COVID-19

China has approved COVID-19 antigen testing as a supplementary means to improve early detection, and 10 domestically made antigen kits have been allowed for home use.

Who can use a COVID-19 antigen self-test? Where to buy the self-testing kits? Can antigen self-testing be a substitute for nucleic acid testing? Here is some important information about the newly approved COVID-19 antigen self-testing.

Who can use COVID-19 antigen self-testing?

There are three groups of people who can use the antigen test kits:

- Those who visit grassroots medical institutions within 5 days of having respiratory symptoms or fever,

- Those who are under quarantine,

- And community residents who want to take the test.

Where to get the self-test kits?

Community residents can buy the self-test kits from retail drugstores and online sales channels.

For people under quarantine, administrative authorities organizing the quarantine, such as communities, villages and quarantine sites, are responsible for purchasing, distributing and managing the self-test kits.