Covid/Influenza swab "pens" - are they as reliable as the regular testing kits?

Forums › Health and fitness › Covid/Influenza swab "pens" - are they as reliable as the regular testing kits?

duckDecoy

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#322585 1-Sep-2025 14:53

I would like to verify if a family member has Influenza A.

I saw these new testing "pens" that say you can swab the inner cheek or just inside the nostril: e.g. https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/buy/144468/biopen-covid-19-influenza-a-b-rsv-nasal-test-pen

This would be much nicer than the regular testing kits where you have to poke the swab halfway up through your head to take the sample. But do they work as well? I'd have imagined that the standard kits would be able to take swabs from the cheek or just inside the nostril if that was all you needed, but maybe these new tests are a newer technology or something.

Does anybody know?

r0bbie

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#3410132 1-Sep-2025 15:28

21 one star reviews

wellygary

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#3410188 1-Sep-2025 16:54

It seem to involve a fairly long and detailed process to make the saliva a viable sample - see below, -

I suspect stuffing it so far up your nostril that the sun doesn't shine and extracting some "brain tissue" is probably more reliable..

3. Deeply cough 4 times into your mouth. Cover your mouth while coughing.
4. Rub the sample collector on the back of your tongue and mouth 3-5 times on each side:

5. Place the sample collector on the side of your tongue, taking care to position the device at an upward angle.
6. With your mouth closed, wait for 2 minutes, always making sure the device is sitting at an upward angle.
8. At the end of the 2 minutes, remove the device from your mouth taking care to not touch the sample collector."

mailmarshall

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#3410193 1-Sep-2025 17:16

I might be the outlier but the Biopen definitely worked for me. Was feeling sick as dog few weeks ago and did the test found out I had Influenza B and then did a telehealth call with doctor.

Very easy to use!

mentalinc

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#3410195 1-Sep-2025 17:34

wellygary:

I suspect stuffing it so far up your nostril that the sun doesn't shine and extracting some "brain tissue" is probably more reliable..

I dont think you need to stick it up anywhere near as you think. Yes during covid when you did the drive through test thing it scratched the back of your brain, if you just put the 'cotton' bit into your nose, this has resulted in a covid or flu test being positive several times.

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Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

KiwiSurfer

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#3410210 1-Sep-2025 20:11

mentalinc:

wellygary:

I suspect stuffing it so far up your nostril that the sun doesn't shine and extracting some "brain tissue" is probably more reliable..

I dont think you need to stick it up anywhere near as you think. Yes during covid when you did the drive through test thing it scratched the back of your brain, if you just put the 'cotton' bit into your nose, this has resulted in a covid or flu test being positive several times.

That has been my expeience too. I just run the swab around the inside of my nose and that has always been fine -- this is what the instructions says too.