American Rapid COVID-19 Test Is Done In 5 Minutes

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Rapid COVID-19 tests can save millions of lives. Now an American one is finished in just 5 minutes.

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Image by Elliot Alderson from Pixabay

American company Abbott Laboratories presented a new test that can find out whether a patient is infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in just five minutes. And it boasts more benefits such as small size and the portability that comes with that.

The molecular test searchers for fragments of the coronavirus genome that can be quickly detected if they are present in large quantities. Thus, in case of a positive test, the can be indicated in 5 minutes and the thorough test that will definitively prove the patient is not infected can last up to 13 minutes.

According to the vice-president for research and development John Frels, the company plans to make and deliver 50,000 tests per day starting from April 1st. This is important as testing is key to controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Test For A Few Minutes

Another positive news is that the company already has approval from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so authorized laboratories can already use the test.

The availability of the tests is key as the United States have recently became another country suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic at large. Some of the states that are suffering the most are New York, California, and Washington. Over 160,000 infected were accounted for on the 31st of March.

Frels is convinced that rapid testing procedures will give medical staff some much-needed breathing space allowing them to more focus on caring for the infected. The technology builds on an already established platform called Abbott ID Now that was so far used to detect a wide range of viral diseases including the Flu.

Test, Test and… Test!

So, how do you use the rapid test? With a tampon, you take a sample from the nose or the back part of the throat of the patient. The sample is then put into a chemical solution that releases the RNA of the virus. The mixture is then put into the ID Now device which can quickly identify selected sequences of the new coronavirus.

The device itself weighs about 3 kilograms and its dimensions are 14.5×19.4×20.7 centimeters. The small size in combination with its small weight allows for easy transportation and usability almost anywhere. The company is now working with the Trump administration on distribution but places that need the tests the most – such as emergencies, hospital and urgent care clinics – should get the tests the earliest.

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