With Singapore easing COVID-19 measures, proactive self-testing will still be important as each of us play our part to keep the society safe and allow more progressive re-opening measures to continue.
While most results have shown that COVID-19 symptoms do not affect young children as much, it's also necessary to be able to administer self testing for them with the available types of Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits in the market.
Two Little Feet aims to to find out which of the four most available self-test Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits in the market are the most children-friendly in Singapore. Like our comfortable and supportive baby and kids sandals and shoes, we hope Singapore's little ones can continue to safely explore and play throughout the day!
The four most common self-test Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kits that you will find in your local pharmacies, supermarkets, and online grocers are:
- Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)
- SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test
- Abbott Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test
- All Test SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Nasal Swab)
From our experience, Guardian (both online and in-stores) offers the most aggressive pricing for self-test kits. The test kits come in packs from 1 to 25 kits. Pricing generally ranges from S$4.40 - S$5.10 per test. Flowflex coming in as the cheapest while Abbott Panbio being the most expensive option.
Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)
Price (March 2022): Around S$4.36 per test kit from a box of 25 tests.
What we liked:
- Extra white space on the test cassette helps our little one when writing her name on it.
- Cheapest option in the market at the time of writing.
What we did not like:
- The control line seems to come up a bit faint and slowly.
- Swab feels a bit lower quality. The cotton bud end does not feel as soft compared to others and the seal for the solution tube can be pretty tough to tear off.
SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test
Price (March 2022): Around S$4.70 per test kit from a box of 25 tests.
What we liked:
- Simple to use, quality of the parts felt good. (*note that this is also what's being dispensed by the Singapore government through the vending machines)
- The swab is probably the most children-friendly given the length (do note that older versions provided a much longer length swab) and the softness of the cotton bud.
What we did not like:
- None
Abbott Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test
Price (March 2022): Around S$5.1 per test kit from a box of 20 tests.
What we liked:
- One of the better earlier options in the market. Good quality.
What we did not like:
- Didn't like the fact that there were so may pieces for each kit. The solution was in a separate vial instead of sealed in a ready-to-use tube.
- The swab was the longest of all. This can be intimidating for young children.
- Price. Probably the most expensive option in the market right now.
All Test SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Nasal Swab)
Price (March 2022): Around S$4.74 per test kit from a box of 20 tests.
What we liked:
- Least amount of separate parts compared to the rest. This make it easier for little ones to handle.
- Probably the most efficient kit. We liked how the external box can be used as the stand for the tube and how the nozzle of the solution tube is attached to the main tube itself (see image below).
- The control line comes up very dark and clear, and fastest among all the kits!
what we did not like:
- The overall quality of all the parts. Felt pretty low end for the second most expensive option after the Abbott Panbio.
Showing all the test cassettes side by side, from Left to Right:
- Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)
- SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test
- Abbott Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test
- All Test SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Nasal Swab)
Two Little Feet's preferred budget COVID-19 ART self-test kit option? The Flowflex SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test (Self-Testing)!
If you want to go for a slightly pricier but better quality test kit, our recommendation will be for the SD Biosensor Standard Q COVID-19 Ag Home Test, which is also issued by the Singapore government.
We hope this review post helps you find the most children-friendly ART test kits for your little one. Keep your little ones safe with proper child masks when indoors and in enclosed spaces. To keep their little active feet protected and comfortable, check out our range of children footwear: