The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first COVID-19 self-testing kit for home use that provides results within 30 minutes, Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday.

According to the US FDA, this single-use test, made by Lucira Health, has been given emergency use authorisation for home use with self-collected nasal swab samples in individuals aged 14 and older who are suspected of COVID-19 by their health care provider, the FDA said.

US FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn was quoted as saying: "While COVID-19 diagnostic tests have been authorised for at-home collection, this is the first that can be fully self-administered and provide results at home."

The kit can also be used at hospitals and point-of-care settings but samples should be collected by a healthcare provider if the individuals who are tested are younger than 14 years, the FDA said.