N.S. pilot project hands out do-it-yourself COVID-19 test kits

Take-home testkits for a COVID-19 pilot project that involves people swabbing their own noses are being handed out at the Halifax Convention Centre.

The Department of Health and Wellness says the rapid-antigen tests are only available to asymptomatic people for the next two weeks.

"The purpose of using these tests is to explore their acceptability and gain feedback on possible home testing options," the department said in astatement.

The tests are done byrotating the swab five times ineachnasal cavity.The used swabis then placed into a tube of liquid and then placed into the test cartridge. The results will appear within minutes,with two lines indicating positive and one fornegative.

The tests have 70 to 80 per cent accuracy, the department said.

It said the front nasal swab makesthe test less invasive than a PCR test.

People who receive a positive test shouldcall 811 to schedulea PCR test for confirmation.