As in most other countries, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making efforts to spread the tests for coronavirus as widely as possible. One of these products can be a big step forward in the technology of combating this disease.
Abbott has received approval for emergency use of its toaster-sized ID NOW mini lab. The device is able to give results after 5 minutes when checking a person for Covid-19, and gives an absolutely accurate diagnosis in 13 minutes. In addition, this is one of the few tests of this kind that can be used outside the hospital – for example, in clinics.
The key is the use of molecular testing, which looks for a small characteristic region of SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA in biomaterial taken from a patient, rather than antibodies like other tests. Other methods may take hours or days.
Abbott is already ramping up production and expects to deliver 50,000 tests a day to the US starting next week. However, one of the main advantages may be the existing network of the company. The ID NOW platform already has the largest presence among molecular tests in the USA and is widely available in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms. If all goes well, the United States will soon be able to get a more accurate picture of the extent of the pandemic and, accordingly, better respond to what is happening, providing the infected with the necessary assistance as quickly as possible.
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