(NEXSTAR) – DoorDash, the service so many relied on to have food delivered to their doorsteps during the pandemic, has unveiled its latest on-demand offering – COVID-19 test kits.
DoorDash’s two options – a saliva test from Vault Health and a lower nasal swab test from Everlywell – will first be available in 12 U.S. markets with more in the coming months, the company said in a news release. U.S. cities included in those markets are Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix, among others.
Customers living in 20 markets can also order the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests directly from Vault Health’s website and have DoorDash deliver it on the same day. PCR is regarded as the “gold standard” of COVID tests due to their accuracy and reliability in detecting genetic material, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The Vault Health kit retails for $119 and Everlywell’s for $109, a cost that may be reimbursed through insurance. The FDA has granted both kits emergency use authorization. DoorDash users can find the products in DashMart, a service that delivers both household essentials as well as local restaurant food.
“Vault makes diagnostic testing easy, comfortable, and very fast across the US. Our partnership with DoorDash unlocks same-day access to our easy to collect saliva COVID test, allowing a patient to spit into a tube and receive their results in 24 hours to get them back to travel, work, school, and family time,” said Jason Feldman, Vault Founder and CEO.
DoorDash said it plans to grow its business in the health and wellness realm after working during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver on-demand medicines, both over-the-counter and prescription.
“As many as 30 percent of people skip doctor’s appointments because they don’t have a reliable way of getting there,” said Dr. Marisa Cruz, Head of Clinical Affairs at Everlywell and former Senior Medical Advisor for Digital Health at the FDA. “The fact that you can now get a kit delivered to your door in hours, quickly collect a sample and drop your kit in the mail, and then receive an accurate COVID-19 diagnosis and speak to a physician about next steps in as little as 24 hours later is a significant step forward for public health.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that viral tests only tell you if you are infected when you take the test, and if you test negative you can still get infected.
DoorDash included the following details about the test kit options:
Vault Health COVID-19 Saliva Test Kit:
- Test type: Remotely-supervised video saliva sample collection with a Vault medical practitioner
- FDA Authorized: Yes**, for both symptomatic and asymptomatic testing
- Supervision included: Yes
- Time for results: 24–48 hours after sample arrives at the lab via overnight delivery
- Price: $119, may be reimbursable by insurance
- Same-day delivery available: Yes, through the DoorDash marketplace app and through Vault Health’s website powered by DoorDash Drive
- Available at participating DashMart locations: Yes
**The Vault Health COVID-19 Test Kit has been authorized by the FDA under an EUA. Read more at www.vaulthealth.com/covid
Everlywell COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit DTC:
- Test type: Gentle lower nasal swab
- FDA Authorized: Yes**, for both symptomatic and asymptomatic testing
- Supervision required: No
- Time for results: 24–48 hours after sample arrives at the lab via overnight delivery
- Price: $109, may be reimbursable by insurance
- Same-day delivery available: Yes, through the DoorDash marketplace app
- Available at participating DashMart locations: Yes
**The Everlywell COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit DTC has not been FDA cleared or approved. This home collection kit has been authorized by FDA under an EUA. Read more at www.everlywell.com/products/covid-19-test.