ABC's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton says you shouldn't swab your throat for an at-home COVID test if it's designed for a nasal swab.
Dr. Ashton joined Eyewitness News on Tuesday to set the record straight on a recent trend that has surfaced on social media of people promoting an at-home COVID rapid test swabbing technique that includes swabbing the back of the throat.
The trend prompted the FDA to release a statement that warns people not to swab their throats during an at-home COVID test saying that it's not how the tests were designed, and it could pose a safety concern. "The FDA advises that COVID-19 tests should be used as authorized, including following their instructions for use regarding obtaining the sample for testing. The FDA has noted safety concerns regarding self-collection of throat swabs, as they are more complicated than nasal swabs - and if used incorrectly, can cause harm to the patient. The CDC recommends that throat swabs be collected by a trained healthcare provider," the statement read.
Dr. Ashton had a similar response to the recent trend, saying that while swabbing the mouth is an acceptable method for some test kits, if that's not what the test instructs, don't swab your throat.
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