90-minute tests that detect Covid-19 and other viruses to be rolled out in UK
The tests will be rolled out in hospitals, care homes and labs across the UK from next week.
“We’re using the most innovative technologies available to tackle coronavirus. Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will provide on-the-spot results in under 90 minutes, helping us to break chains of transmission quickly,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in a statement.
Pandemic experts have said it would be useful to be able to differentiate among the various flu-like illnesses that circulate in winter months, and quick detection of any of them can help get patients isolated and onto whatever treatment is available.
The department has said that the tests “will hugely increase testing capacity ahead of winter, delivering fast results that will help to break chains of transmission quickly.”
One test — carried out by “Nudgebox” machines, supplied by DnaNudge — will analyze DNA in nose swabs, and provide a positive or negative result for Covid-19 in 90 minutes, the department of health said.
The other — called the LamPORE test — will process swab and saliva samples to detect the presence of Covid-19 in 60 to 90 minutes. The government has not published full details on the accuracy of the tests, but has said the LamPORE test has the “same sensitivity as the widely used PCR swab test.”
In recent months, the global medical community has been looking to get quicker results to stem the tide of the outbreak.