Buy a Corona home test online – where can you do that?

The rapid antigen tests currently used in test centres to check people for coronavirus are already slowly becoming available to buy and will soon be widely offered for use as self-tests. A self-test is a test you can do yourself at home to see whether you are infected with the Coronavirus. Manufacturers of rapid tests can now apply for permission to market their tests as self-tests or home tests. The test kits come with a special, shorter swab so everyone can easily perform the test themselves, with or without supervision. The self-test kits are being made available to employers and educational institutions. They will also be sold in supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies.

But where can you buy a reliable Corona home test online? What types of Corona or Covid home tests are there? Which webshops offer reliable home tests to check for the Covid-19 virus? We have listed the most trustworthy online stores where you can buy a Corona home test online.

Where can you buy a reliable Corona home test or rapid test online?

• Corona-thuis-test.nl
• Bol.com 
• Covidtestnederland.nl

Which types of Corona self-tests have been reliably tested?

Scientific research has shown that rapid antigen tests are reliable and very suitable as self-tests. However, self-testing requires clear instructions, which is also a requirement for approval for at-home Covid self-testing in the Netherlands. Self-test kits come with a special, shorter swab that makes it easier and safer to take the sample yourself.

What types of Corona tests are there?

The GGD currently uses several different tests to check for Covid-19:

The PCR test

This is the test used most often in test centres, but it takes more time than a rapid test. Molecular tests, also known as polymerase chain reaction or PCR tests, detect the presence of the virus in a nasal swab or saliva sample by amplifying the genetic material in the sample.

The LAMP test

This test is just as accurate as a PCR test, but you get the result more quickly. The LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) test, like the PCR test, is a form of testing in which fragments of genetic material are copied or multiplied. The way this is done in the LAMP test is completely different from PCR. The big advantage of the LAMP test is that the copying or amplification of genetic material takes place at one constant temperature. That is why this test is faster than the PCR test, which needs temperature fluctuations. The LAMP test also uses different equipment and reagents than PCR tests, so in case of shortages they complement rather than compete with each other.

The antigen rapid test

This rapid test gives you a result very quickly. It is less sensitive than the other tests. That’s why it may sometimes be necessary to confirm the result with a different test. Antigen tests detect viral proteins on the surface of a sample. These tests, which you might know as rapid tests, can produce results faster than PCR tests but are more likely to report false negatives in people without symptoms.

The breath test

A breath test is quick and user-friendly, but it is especially good at showing that you do not have corona. Is the result negative? Then you know enough. If you don’t get a negative result, you will then receive another test to determine whether you have corona.

Self-tests can be used on a large scale

It goes without saying that anyone with symptoms should get tested immediately. But testing can also be useful for people without symptoms. Some people carry the virus but do not experience any symptoms. That is why more and more preventive testing is being done. Although a test is always just a snapshot of a particular moment, self-tests can help detect infections in people without symptoms more quickly, so they can go into quarantine sooner. This reduces the chance of the virus spreading. Hugo de Jonge, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport: ‘This way we can stop the virus. To keep it simple and accessible, we offer this new option: bringing the tests to the people, not the people to the tests. That’s why we are now making it possible in the Netherlands for manufacturers of reliable rapid tests to create a self-test version.’

According to the government, self-tests can be used widely and on a large scale and can play a major role in combating the pandemic. As soon as the first self-test kits become available in the Netherlands, they will be used to make it safer for pupils and teachers to go to school and for those who cannot work from home to go to their workplace. Employers and educational institutions can offer staff and pupils self-tests that they can carry out themselves or under supervision. Pilot projects are being run in schools for supervised self-testing under the guidance of a doctor or other healthcare professional. The government is funding schools and companies that work with these supervised self-tests. Ultimately, self-testing without supervision should also become possible. People will then be able to buy self-test kits in supermarkets, drugstores and pharmacies.