Should You Have a New Home Flu Test, RSV, or COVID Test on Hand?

In case you have not noticed, the flu is back! The swallows come back to Capistrano every spring and influenza viruses start circulating around the holidays and usually last into February. The CDC will release its most recent FluView report on January 30, 2026. As soon as it becomes available we will let you know what the CDC has to say about this year’s influenza outbreaks. But as I have repeatedly stated, today’s CDC report will be a week or two behind what is actually happening. That’s why you need to have a home flu test available in case you start to sneeze, sniffle and cough!

We have just learned that the FDA has approved a new 4-in-1 home test called FlowFlex Plus. It can detect influenza A and B, COVID-19 and the new kid on the block, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

Although there is no magic medicine against RSV, the sooner parents know if their child has this viral infection, the sooner they can get crucial supportive care. RSV is dangerous in babies and young children and accounts for many hospitalizations. This test may be used in infants as young as 6 months old and could help parents manage this serious infection at the earliest possible stage.

A Home Flu Test Could Change Things:

There was a time, not so long ago, that if you wanted to know if you had the flu, you had to make an appointment with your physician to be tested. That could precious time.

Here is how we described the old system for flu detection:

• You wake up sick.
• You assume it’s “just a cold.”
• You wait a day.
• You try to get an appointment.
• You find out your doctor can’t see you.
• You go to urgent care.
• You wait.
• You get tested and turn up positive for flu
• You leave with a prescription.
• You drive to a pharmacy.
• You stand in line.
• You learn it isn’t in stock.
• You go to another pharmacy.

Now, consumers can buy an over-the-counter test for influenza A and B as well as SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.

According to the FDA, the flu tests are highly accurate in identifying who did not have influenza A and 90 percent accurate in detecting actual cases. The corresponding results for COVID-19 are 100 percent and 88 percent. The test is also designed to tell if a person has influenza B.

Of course, flu tests have been available for years, but only in doctors’ offices. This is the first time consumers could have easy access to this information. It beats trying to get a doctor’s appointment or dragging your sick body to a clinic and waiting to be tested. Here is a link.

Why Is a Home Flu Test Worth Consideration?

Until now, you have had no way of knowing if you have a bad cold, COVID-19 or influenza. Why is it important to know which virus is making you miserable?

The answer lies in timing and the choice of antiviral medication. Those that work against influenza A and B include oseltamivir (Tamiflu), zanamivir (Relenza), beloxavir marboxil (Xofluza) and peramivir (Rapivab). Peramivir is available only by infusion, while zanamivir is an inhaled medication.

A meta-analysis of 16 randomized trials involving nearly 12,000 children and adults with flu-like illness found that zanamivir worked most quickly and beloxavir reduced complications best (JAMA Network Open, Aug. 2, 2021). All four drugs shorten the time that patients spend suffering flu symptoms. The sooner such an antiviral drug is started, the better it works. That’s why a home flu test is important. Wait too long and the antiviral meds won’t work.

Oseltamivir can cause nausea, vomiting and headaches. Both zanamivir and baloxavir are less likely to cause nausea and peramivir is far less likely to cause vomiting. Diarrhea is more common with peramivir.

What if the Home Flu Test Is Negative, but COVID Is Positive?

If the influenza test comes back negative but the COVID test is positive, some people may want to consider nirmatrelvir + ritonavir (Paxlovid). It reduces hospitalizations and deaths, though a new study suggests one in five people taking Paxlovid have a rebound (Annals of Internal Medicine, Nov. 16, 2023). As a result, they may shed virus for almost a month after initial infection.

If the testing reveals that symptoms are neither flu nor COVID-19, chances are it might be a cold. We have no FDA-approved antiviral medications for the common cold. There isn’t even a vaccination, as there is for influenza. And the FDA recently admitted that many OTC cold and cough remedies contain an ineffective oral decongestant.

Can Home Remedies Help Colds?

Home remedies can help people feel better and deal with colds. A cup of thyme tea or a bowl of chicken soup could ease symptoms. To learn more about such approaches, you may wish to read our eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu. This online resource is available under the Health eGuides tab.

Share your experience with upper respiratory tract infections below in the comment section of this website. Would you like to know whether you have the flu or COVID? How do you treat a cold? Please share your favorite home remedies.