Kids over 5 can learn to test themselves for COVID-19

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-02-18 03:00

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Going back to school during the pandemic might be difficult if every child needs regular COVID-19 testing, but US researchers have found kids over age 5 could give themselves the nasal swabs with the right training. The team followed 296 primary school kids over two months and took note of error rates in weekly COVID-19 self-tests. They found error rates were highest on the first day, but this improved over time, and kids also became more time-efficient with their tests as they improved. Teaching kids to properly do their own self-tests could help keep students and teachers safe when going back to school, especially in larger schools where testing each individual child might not be feasible, the team says.