WASHINGTON — QUESTION:
Can you order a COVID-19 test through Door Dash now?
ANSWER:
Yes. The company is now delivering two PCR Tests through their virtual convenience store in 12 cities across the United States. One of these tests is done through a nasal swab, and the second is done by a saliva test.
Currently, this service is only available in these cities: Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Sacramento, and Salt Lake City.
SOURCES:
- DoorDash, "Announcing On-Demand Delivery of COVID-19 PCR Test Collection Kits"
- Vault Health, Test Maker
- EverlyWell, Test Maker
- The Food and Drug Administration, "In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs - Molecular Diagnostic Tests for SARS-CoV-2"
- Dr. Linda Nabha, Infectious Disease Specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine
Process:
On social media, there were a lot of people talking about this new service provided by DoorDash.
"Move over pizza and burgers," wrote one user on Twitter. "DoorDash's Delivery Drivers are now dropping COVID-19 tests on people's doorsteps."
For details, the Verify team turned to a press release from DoorDash, released on Mar. 22. The company announced that they would be providing a pair of PCR tests; A saliva-based test from Vault Health and a nasal-swab test from EverlyWell.
The Vault Health test is selling for $119, and the EverlyWell test is selling for $109. This service is only available in the 12 cities listed above.
"Amidst the pandemic, one of our top priorities has been to make health and wellness essentials more accessible," said a spokesperson in an email. "Allowing customers to get the items they need most delivered to their doorstep."
The Verify team looked on the FDA website to track whether the tests were approved through an Emergency Use Authorization.
Vault Health is using the "Infinity BiologiX TaqPath SARS-CoV-2 assay," which was approved in April, 2020. EverlyWell is using the "EverlyWell COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit DTC," which was approved in February 2021.
The Verify team took the news to Dr. Linda Nabha, who said she trusts these tests because they have been approved by the FDA.
"They're going through a process when they go through the FDA," she said. "To ensure that these tests are accurate and appropriate. They're not fooling people."