Guidance Guidance

COVID-19How self-testto helpdo a coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow test at home

Find out how to testdo yourselfa rapid lateral flow test for coronavirusCOVID-19 (COVID-19)and ifreport youthe results. Rapid tests are askedonly to,for andpeople learnwho whatdo helpnot ishave available.symptoms of COVID-19.

Published
From:
UK Health Security Agency
Published
23 December 2020
Last updated
22 29October January 2021 — see See all updates
From:
Department of Health and Social Care

SomeHow peopleyou aredo beingthe askedtest todepends self-teston forthe COVID-19test tokit helpyou’re themusing.

The staythroat safeand nose test kit has a blue and stopwhite thepack.

Nose-only spreadtest ofkits thehave virus.a:

  • blue, Thiswhite isand agrey new(MP serviceBiomedicals)
  • green and white pack (Orient Gene)
  • blue and white pack (ACON Flowflex)

Check which pack you willhave as it may be contacteddifferent to one you’ve had before.

If you need a test kit, order rapid lateral flow tests.

There’s separate information on how to do a PCR home test. This is the type of test you usually do if you arehave beingCOVID-19 offeredsymptoms.

Videos: how to do a rapid self-testtest kit.at home

There are separate videos for the throat and nose test, and nose-only tests.

Blue, white and grey (MP Biomedicals): nose-only test

Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (blue, white and grey pack – MP Biomedicals).

Green and white pack (Orient Gene): nose-only test

Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (green and white pack - Orient Gene).

Blue and white pack (ACON Flowflex): nose-only test

Watch a video demonstration of how to do a nose-only test (blue and white pack - ACON Flowflex).

Blue and white pack: throat and nose test

Watch a video demonstration of how to do a throat and nose test (blue and white pack).

Self-testWhat instructionsto do when you get your results

YouReport mustall followresults the(positive, instructionsnegative inor void):

  • every time you use a rapid test kit
  • within 24 hours of getting the result

Reporting your self-testresults booklet.helps Thescientists instructionstrack forthe spread of COVID-19 self-testingand spot new outbreaks faster, which helps protect communities.

Report a rapid test result online

If you cannot use the online service, call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines).

Lines are availableopen every day, 7am to 11pm. 119 provides support in 200 languages.

SignVideo is a free online British Sign Language interpreter service for 119.

Find out what your result means and what you need to do on NHS.UK.

Guides in Englishdifferent formats and languages

There are separate guides for the followingthroat languages:and nose test, and nose-only tests.

English

Find step-by-step guides, including easy read and large print versions:

Polski (Polish)

Znajdź przewodniki krok po kroku, jak wykonać szybki test:

中文(简体 (Chinese - Simplified)

查找进行快速测试的分步指南：

ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi - Gurmukhi)

ਰੈਪਿਡ ਟੈਸਟ ਕਰਨ ਲਈ ਕਦਮ-ਦਰ-ਕਦਮ ਗਾਈਡਾਂ ਲੱਭੋ:

Româna (Romanian)

Găsiți ghiduri pas cu pas pentru testele rapide la:

العربية (Arabic)

:بحث عن أدلة تفصيلية حول إجراء اختبار سريع

ગુજરાતી (Gujarati)

Youઝડપી canપરીક્ષણ alsoકરવા watchમાટે aપગલું-દર-પગલા videoમાર્ગદર્શિકાઓ demonstrationશોધો:

فارسی (Persian)

:افتن راهنماهای گام به گام برای انجام تست فوری

Report

کیت تست فوری :(MP Biomedicals) تست فقط بینی
  • COVID-19‌ دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری :(ACON Flowflex) تست فقط بینی
  • COVID-19 تست فقط بینی (آنتی ژن):‌ دستورالعمل کیت تست فوری

    • اردو (Urdu)

    You:ریپڈ willٹیسٹ beکرنے toldکے howلیے toقدم reportبہ yourقدم resultرہنما whenتلاش youکریں

    Slovenčina (Slovak)

    Nájdete podrobných sprievodcov rýchlym testom:

    Türkçe (Turkish)

    Hızlı (rapid) test kit.yapmak için adım adım rehberleri burada bulabilirsiniz:

    Cymraeg (Welsh)

    ReportingDod youro resulthyd helpsi theganllawiau NHSfesul monitorcam thei spreadgynnal ofprawf thecyflym:

    Soomaali (Somali)

    Raadi hagayaasha tallaabo-tallaabo ah si aad u sameyso baaritaan degdeg ah:

    If

  • Baaritaanka sanka oo keliya ah (ACON Flowflex): COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah
  • Baaritaanka sanka oo keliya ah (Orient Gene): COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah
  • Baaritaanka cunaha iyo sanka: COVID-19 tilmaamaha xirmooyinka baaritaanka degdegga ah

    • বাংলা (Bengali)

    Findদ্রুত outপরীক্ষা whatকরার toজন্য doধাপে ifধাপে youনির্দেশিকাগুলি testপাবেন positiveএখানে:

    پن٘جابی (Punjabi - Shahmukhi)

    :اک ریپڈ ٹیسٹ کرن لئی اپنا مرحلہ وار گائیڈ لبھو

    हिंदी (Hindi)

    Ifत्वरित youपरीक्षण haveकरने aके medicalलिए emergencyचरण-दर-चरण orगाइड youप्राप्त thinkकरें:

    دری (Dari)

    :راهنمای قدم به قدم برای انجام تست سریع را ببینید

    پښتو (Pashto)

    :د ګړندۍ ازموینې لپاره ګام په ګام لارښوونې وګورئ

    Published 23 December 2020
    Last updated 2922 JanuaryOctober 2021 + show all updates

      1. Added information about ordering a rapid lateral flow test and how to do an MP Biomedicals rapid nose-only test. Added Dari and Pashto translated guides.

      2. Added information about the InterpreterNow service and that 119 provides support in 200 languages.

      3. Added information about how to do an ACON Flowflex rapid nose-only test. Updated information about the different types of rapid tests, checking which test you have and reporting your result.

      4. Updated to add information about checking with test you have, the different types of test and how to do a nose-only rapid lateral flow test, including videos and instructions.

      5. Changed page title, summary and body content to make it clear that the instructions are for a rapid later flow tests. Updated information on what to do when you get your result and reporting your results

      6. Added link to the self-test instructions for use and translated versions of it.

      7. First published.

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