LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are Las Vegas area residents getting tested for COVID-19 every day, but many say the experience of getting a swab stuck up your nose is less than pleasant.
As 13 Action News Anchor Tricia Kean reports, there's now a new and painless alternative.
BRAND NEW TEST
"It was a piece of cake," said Las Vegas valley resident Rick Bonvicin.
He just tested negative for COVID-19 and found out by ordering a new at-home saliva test kit.
"This test is really brand new. We are one of the first clinics to make it available to the community," said Nurse Practitioner Lalah Iacobucci with e7 Health.
CONTACTLESS TEST
The FDA-authorized test is sold at both e7 Health valley locations.
To help you keep socially distant, the health care provider can mail a kit to you, or you can pick one up.
"They never have to even come in. Interact with anybody. They just call us and let us know that they're in the parking lot and then we bring the kit out to the trunk or the backseat of their car," said Lalah.
SALIVA IN A TUBE
Once you're home, the rest is pretty easy.
"It's simply putting your saliva, about half an inch of saliva into this tube, and then mixing the agent that activates the test," said Lalah.
RESULTS IN 2-3 DAYS
Then you put the tube in the provided envelope for overnight shipping.
"These results do come quick. They are usually 2 to 3 business days, which we have been hearing with some other tests unfortunately sometimes they're longer, 5, 6, 10 days," said Lalah.
$160 PLUS SHIPPING
The results are also reported to Clark County health officials.
But this test kit does come at a steep price: $160 plus shipping.
"There won't be any line for this test. There's no wait time. You can get it literally right after you order the test. It is a convenience," said Lalah.
Rick agrees and says the cost is worth it.
"I've had several other COVID tests, with the swap to the back of the brain. I also had a blood test. This one by far was the easiest. The other ones, other people had to be involved. So I actually had to go into an office. So that kind of defeated the point of social distancing," said Rick.
