PHOENIX — An ASU professor who studies bio-medical diagnostics estimates there are likely four million at home and other rapid tests conducted each day in the United States. However, the majority of these test results — both the positives and negative — are likely not reported as it is on a volunteer basis.
Professor Mara Aspinall with Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions tells ABC15 that she estimates there are likely at least four million home tests and other tests a day that are not reported, “for the homes tests there is no organized formal and required way to report those tests,” she said.
Aspinall adds that it is too hard to predict what percentage of those at-home tests are positive versus negative, “today unfortunately there is no way to definitively know how many of those at home tests are positive, we are likely capturing some of them.”
However, she is able to estimate that around half are reporting to their primary care physician, “Probably 50% of people who have primary care physicians report to their primary care physician that ‘I just tested positive;’ however, that is a best-case estimate.”
A spokesperson for Maricopa County Health Department said by email that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 at home, should indeed report their results to their primary care physician. They say if a person does not have one, they can call 602-506-6767 to report their results.