Choose between five ART self-test kits

Testing ourselves regularly for Covid-19 will soon become a part of our routine, especially for those returning to the workplace and school.

This reporter tried every antigen rapid test (ART) self-test kit approved for use here - so you do not have to.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has approved six self-test kits, of which five are currently available. They are the Abbott Panbio Covid-19 Antigen Self-Test, Quidel QuickVue At-Home OTC Covid-19 Test, SD Biosensor Sars-CoV-2 Antigen Self-Test Nasal, SD Biosensor Standard Q Covid-19 Ag Home Test, and the BD Kit for Rapid Detection of Sars-CoV-2.

Aesthetics aside, all the kits were found to be very similar, with only slight differences in procedure.

If you have yet to try one, an ART self-test is a quick way to screen for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. You need to obtain a nasal sample by rotating a swab stick inserted into your nostrils.

The sample is then added to a solution and applied to the test device.

The test costs between $8 and $13 apiece, and can be bought at pharmacies. All the instructions are clear and each has a QR code you can scan for an instructional video or a more detailed how-to guide.

This reporter's favourite test, for its simplicity of use, was the Quidel QuickVue At-Home OTC Covid-19 Test. Unlike the others, it needs an extra step of leaving the swab in the testing solution for a minute.

Though that means you have to wait a little longer before applying the test device to the solution, the wait time for the result is shorter - at just 10 minutes compared with the usual 15 minutes.

Plus, you do not have to fiddle with using a dropper with the collected sample and counting the drops you apply to the test device.

The best feature was that the results were easier to read. The strip shows them in two colours - pink and blue - instead of the two pink lines one has to interpret in the other kits.

The kit I found hardest to use was the Abbott Panbio Covid-19 Antigen Self-Test. The solution came separately and had to be squeezed into the sample collection tube before use, a step which requires some precision and good eyesight - both of which were challenging before my first cup of coffee.

However, for those who like precision and neatness, it has a handy holder that keeps the kit organised while in use, as well as very clear printed instructions.

The instruction sheets for the BD Kit for Rapid Detection of Sars-CoV-2 were the only ones to come in English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese, as these kits are being given out by the Ministry of Education to students.

As they are approved by the HSA, all five kits have been determined to have met the required safety, efficacy and quality standards for individuals to administer the tests on their own.

On the whole, I found them easy to use, with clear step-by-step instructions. I also obtained the same result with each one - free of Covid-19, thankfully.