Swabbing both areas when using an at-home test might give more accurate results in certain cases. Here's why and how to do it.
, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security and an infectious disease expert, said swabbing both your nose and your throat will actually increase the sensitivity of the tests and therefore improve the chances that they will detect the virus.
“A person may not get enough sample to detect virus if they do the nasal test incorrectly or do not go deep enough. Whereas if you have a sore throat, likely whatever is deep in your nose has dripped down the back of your throat,” Parikh said.Parikh recommends swabbing your throat when it first becomes sore. Her main tip: Swab your throat in addition to your nose, not in place of it.
Avoid eating, drinking or using antiseptic mouthwash for 30 to 60 minutes prior to swabbing your throat, as this can impact how much virus can be collected, Parikh said. Think of it like a strep test — the further back in the throat you can reach, the more sensitive the test will be.