COVID 19: ID NOW molecular test in 15 minutes

A new test for COVID 19 has been released by medical device company Abbott.

The new device can show positive results in a minimum of time and approved για επείγουσα χρήση στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες από την Υπηρεσία Τροφίμων και Φαρμάκων (Food and Drug Administration ή απλά FDA) χθες το βράδυ. Η δοκιμή χρησιμοποιεί την μικρή, φορητή πλατφόρμα ID NOW και δεν χρειάζεται να αποστείλει το δείγμα σε κάποιο κεντρικό εργαστήριο για να πραγματοποιηθεί η analysis. Instead, it can be done directly at a clinic, which could reduce the days of waiting time required today.

Doctors can simply take a sample from the patient's nose or throat and insert it directly into the machine to get a result within 15 minutes (the test can take up to 13 minutes if the sample is negative for the virus) .

“With the rapid testing offered by ID NOW, healthcare services can perform molecular testing outside the four walls of a hospitalυ, άμεσα σε εστίες μόλυνσης”, ανέφερε ο Robert B. Ford, πρόεδρος και διευθύνων σύμβουλος της Abbott, σε ένα δελτίο τύπου.

This is the second test device for COVID-19 approved by the FDA. The first, made by the biotechnology company Cephid, takes 45 minutes to show the result.

These devices that give quick answers to doctors are extremely useful at this time. Tests (should be done by doctors) can help diagnose patients with mild symptoms or patients with COVID 19 who have no symptoms at all.

The test performed by Abbott's device works differently than all types of tests that have been standard in the US during the pandemic. Normally, the sample from the patient had to be sent to a laboratory to be processed using a method called PCR, which looks for genetic material of the coronavirus at the molecular level.

To perform a PCR test, the sample must be repeatedly passed through high heat and then reheated. Abbott's device also tests molecularly to detect genetic material of the virus, but it works without report at high temperature. That's why the device is so small and needs almost no power.

Abbott says he plans to start building 50.000 devices ID NOW the day and will start next week.