While most attention remains focused on the rising number of COVID cases seen in recent weeks (largely powered by the omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1), the influenza virus has made a late-in-the-season comeback, as I discussed here last month. In its May 20 Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states:

The late-season activity has also resulted in noteworthy, high, late-season weekly hospitalization rates. In fact, the weekly rate for the 2021–22 season during MMWR week 17 was the highest weekly rate observed during that week since the 2010–2011 season…CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 6.4 million flu illnesses, 65,000 hospitalizations, and 4,000 deaths from flu.

The CDC tells readers the best protection against influenza is the flu vaccine. Unfortunately, this year’s flu vaccine is only 16 percent effective against contracting influenza. The CDC influenza surveillance report goes on to say, “There are also prescription flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat flu illness.”

But, as I pointed out in my April 18, 2022 blogpost, the prescription antiviral, Tamiflu, must be started within the first two days of the onset of influenza.

Unfortunately, rapid influenza tests that give results in about 15 minutes can only be performed by health care practitioners at urgent care centers or in doctors’ offices. The Food and Drug Administration has thus far only approved at-home self-administered flu tests that must be sent in to laboratories that provide results in about 2 days—often outside the window for effective antiviral treatment.

On May 18 the FDA announced it approved a new at-home, self-administered test that can detect COVID, influenza, and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus—11 percent mortality in adults) off of one specimen. The test is available without a prescription and can be obtained online from Labcorp or at retail stores.

This new test is an important breakthrough. Many people who come down with respiratory illnesses are testing negative for COVID and just assume they have a common cold. But they may have influenza or worse. A single self-administered test that identifies the presence of influenza A and B as well as COVID and RSV with one sample can be of great benefit.

But, alas, patients must send the self-administered test to Labcorp, which will provide results in 1 to 2 days. Most people who test negative for COVID on the at-home self-administered rapid-result tests are unlikely to take advantage of the new 3‑in‑1 test. They need quicker results, and the only way that happens these days is in an urgent care clinic or a doctor’s office—an expense in time and money. Therefore, I predict that most people will just breathe a sigh of relief if they don’t have COVID on their self-administered test and take their chances by assuming they just have a common cold. Yet many may have something much more serious than a common cold that goes undiagnosed and untreated.

As I have repeatedly stated, consumers should be able to obtain, without a prescription, at-home self-administered rapid tests for influenza and other respiratory viruses (as those tests get developed). Furthermore, state lawmakers should expand pharmacists’ scope of practice to allow them to perform such tests and prescribe antivirals when indicated, or to dispense antivirals to customers who present them with a positive test result they have obtained on their own.

If public health officials and the FDA are serious about controlling communicable and infectious diseases, they should remove the roadblocks government has placed in the way of people who seek to protect their health.