Abstract
BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic posed challenges for health systems in rapidly diagnosing diseases. METHODS: Community workshops and a self-administered questionnaire were implemented to determine the feasibility of self-testing for future epidemics and gain an understanding of community interest and the capacity to implement self-tests in two rural areas in Paraguay. RESULTS: Comprehension of the self-test procedures and their application was demonstrated by 99% of the participants. The participants expressed interest in accessing these tests at home. CONCLUSIONS: Self-tests could be a valuable tool in urban and rural communities that enable health systems to focus on severe cases.