In case you missed it, this commercial for Cue COVID tests made its debut during the Super Bowl. Cue lab-quality COVID-19 tests are at-home, molecular tests that need no prescription or special training to use. Cue COVID tests are self-contained and are composed of a reader, single-use cartridges, and wands for swabbing your nose. You can take a Cue test with or without symptoms, and the results are sent right to your mobile device within 20 minutes.
What Are Cue COVID Tests?
These FDA-approved, over-the-counter tests are for adults and kids ages 2 and up, and can detect Omicron, Delta, and other known variants. Cue is a nucleic-acid amplification test (NAAT) instead of PCR (polymerase chain reaction). Like a PCR lab test, Cue’s COVID test targets genetic material of the virus and can reliably detect small amounts of the virus. In an independent study by Mayo Clinic, Cue COVID-19 tests matched central lab PCR results with 97.8 percent accuracy.
These tests are different from the COVID tests you get through the government or purchase at drug stores, which are rapid antigen tests. Cue COVID tests detect genetic material of COVID (RNA), whereas antigen tests detect antigens. Unfortunately, rapid antigen tests may not be as effective in detecting infection if you are asymptomatic and can produce false negatives.
To test for COVID using Cue, complete these four simple steps by following along with the Cue Health app:
- Insert your cartridge into the Reader.
- Use the wand to collect a sample from the lower part of each nostril.
- Insert the wand into the cartridge.
- Get your results from the Cue Health App on your mobile device in 20 minutes.
Where to Buy Cue COVID Tests
You can purchase Cue COVID-19 tests directly from the website, but to warn you, they are quite expensive. The Cue Reader costs $249, and a three-pack of COVID-19 tests costs $195 (total cost is $444), or you can order a 10-pack (total cost is $855).
There is a membership option to help lower the price, which costs $40 a month (must commit to 12 months) for a total of $480. But you get a Reader, plus 10 tests a month, and free shipping.
Why do these tests cost so much more than antigen tests? Because they provide lab-quality accuracy, similar to a PCR test you’d get at a healthcare office or authorized testing facility, but you don’t need an appointment or to leave your home. Plus results are delivered straight to your mobile device must faster, within 20 minutes.