At-home COVID test kits now in some Tri-Cities pharmacies. No nose swab needed

At home COVID-19 test kits are now available in the Tri-Cities area and across Washington state through Safeway and Albertsons pharmacies.

A saliva sample is collected at home rather than a nose swab being used to collect the test, as is usually done at drive-thru testing sites and many Tri-Cities clinics.

Results should be available by text or email in 72 hours or less after the lab receives the saliva sample, according to information from the pharmacies.

However, the pharmacies will not bill insurance. Instead, those who buy the test kit can submit the bill to their insurance company.

They cost about $140.

The tests check for active cases rather than if a person has developed antibodies from a past case of COVID.

Tests must be requested by filling out a short medical questionnaire at scheduletest.com and then picked up at a Safeway or Albertsons pharmacy. You can also ask for the test kit to be delivered.

The Benton Franklin Health District has compiled a list of additional testing places for active coronavirus cases, including free drive-thru testing, with hours of operation, at bit.ly/TCtestingsites.