Senior Advisor, Sycamore Partners
Retail & Innovation
Acing the test
Walgreens variety of COVID-19 testing options now includes a new version with an innovative design that makes it easy to keep you and others safe.
Steve Rausch, Walgreens Stories
COVID-19 may no longer be the everyday topic it was during the height of the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it’s gone. Rates of infection and hospitalizations due to the virus are predicted to increase again as winter approaches, so are you prepared to test yourself to keep you and others safe?
At-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests have become a trusted tool since they first became available in 2021, offering a critical defense against spreading the virus. As the weather turns colder and people remain inside more, groups such as older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic conditions are under greater threat of infection.
For those who may experience challenges with dexterity or vision issues, such as older adults, managing the physical details of an at-home COVID-19 test can be problematic, which can lead to erroneous results if directions aren’t properly followed, and could potentially discourage them from using the tests at all if it’s too difficult.
Customers have different testing needs, so they require different testing options. Walgreens offers a variety of COVID-19 tests to help keep customers safe in the most convenient way possible, including the new FaStep® COVID-19 Antigen Pen Home Test, a unique test that’s easy to use, while providing the same reliability as other at-home COVID-19 tests, at the same price.
“Walgreens has made a commitment to its customers to be the leader in testing solutions,” says Nate Reilly, Walgreens senior category manager for diabetes and health testing. “It’s our goal to offer multiple options for people to get tested in whatever way is best for them and their health, whether that’s in their own homes or administered in our stores by trusted pharmacists.”
As easy as 1-2
The FaStep COVID-19 Antigen Pen Home Test is a simple two-step process featuring an intuitive design, particularly for those who may struggle managing some of the more intricate manual tasks required from traditional COVID-19 tests.
The test features just two parts: the test pen and the base. The testing swab is integrated into the pen, so after swabbing the insides of both nostrils, the user simply presses the swab end of the test pen into the base, then waits 15 minutes to get the results. There’s no requirement for precise actions like administering drops into a small hole or trying to place the swab into a tight space. Just swab, insert, then wait.
“We want to do everything we can to encourage people to self-test for COVID-19 when appropriate,” says Reilly. “What we love about the FaStep test is how easy it is to use, which makes it accessible for people who may have struggled operating tests in the past and are test hesitant as a result.”
Be prepared, have tests on-hand
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you take an at-home COVID-19 test:
The FaStep test is priced at $23.99 for two tests and is now available at Walgreens stores and on Walgreens.com. It joins the at-home COVID-19 testing lineup that includes the Walgreens At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit (2 tests for $23.99), Abbott's BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Self Test (2 tests for $23.99), FlowFlex COVID-19 antigen home test (2 tests for $23.99) and Genabio COVID-19 Rapid Self-Test Kit (2 tests for $23.99). If you’re not feeling well and don’t want to risk possibly infecting others, you can still receive your test by ordering online through Walgreens.com and selecting 1-Hour Delivery or 30-Minute Pickup.
While COVID-19 testing is an important step to preventing spread of the virus, the best way to keep yourself and others healthy is to get vaccinated with the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
At-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests have become a trusted tool since they first became available in 2021, offering a critical defense against spreading the virus. As the weather turns colder and people remain inside more, groups such as older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic conditions are under greater threat of infection.
For those who may experience challenges with dexterity or vision issues, such as older adults, managing the physical details of an at-home COVID-19 test can be problematic, which can lead to erroneous results if directions aren’t properly followed, and could potentially discourage them from using the tests at all if it’s too difficult.
Customers have different testing needs, so they require different testing options. Walgreens offers a variety of COVID-19 tests to help keep customers safe in the most convenient way possible, including the new FaStep® COVID-19 Antigen Pen Home Test, a unique test that’s easy to use, while providing the same reliability as other at-home COVID-19 tests, at the same price.
“Walgreens has made a commitment to its customers to be the leader in testing solutions,” says Nate Reilly, Walgreens senior category manager for diabetes and health testing. “It’s our goal to offer multiple options for people to get tested in whatever way is best for them and their health, whether that’s in their own homes or administered in our stores by trusted pharmacists.”
As easy as 1-2
The FaStep COVID-19 Antigen Pen Home Test is a simple two-step process featuring an intuitive design, particularly for those who may struggle managing some of the more intricate manual tasks required from traditional COVID-19 tests.The test features just two parts: the test pen and the base. The testing swab is integrated into the pen, so after swabbing the insides of both nostrils, the user simply presses the swab end of the test pen into the base, then waits 15 minutes to get the results. There’s no requirement for precise actions like administering drops into a small hole or trying to place the swab into a tight space. Just swab, insert, then wait.
“We want to do everything we can to encourage people to self-test for COVID-19 when appropriate,” says Reilly. “What we love about the FaStep test is how easy it is to use, which makes it accessible for people who may have struggled operating tests in the past and are test hesitant as a result.”
Be prepared, have tests on-hand
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you take an at-home COVID-19 test:
- Immediately, if you begin having COVID-19 symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, or
- At least five days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-19, or
- Consider testing yourself one to two days before you’re going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccine
The FaStep test is priced at $23.99 for two tests and is now available at Walgreens stores and on Walgreens.com. It joins the at-home COVID-19 testing lineup that includes the Walgreens At-Home COVID-19 Test Kit (2 tests for $23.99), Abbott's BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Self Test (2 tests for $23.99), FlowFlex COVID-19 antigen home test (2 tests for $23.99) and Genabio COVID-19 Rapid Self-Test Kit (2 tests for $23.99). If you’re not feeling well and don’t want to risk possibly infecting others, you can still receive your test by ordering online through Walgreens.com and selecting 1-Hour Delivery or 30-Minute Pickup.
While COVID-19 testing is an important step to preventing spread of the virus, the best way to keep yourself and others healthy is to get vaccinated with the updated COVID-19 vaccine.