FDA approves rapid coronavirus test that gives results in 45 minutes

[Chris Smith]

• It goes without saying that coronavirus testing is one of the key weapons for fighting the COVID-19 outbreak, and the FDA just approved a quick test that delivers results in just 45-minutes.
• Reduced waiting times for a diagnosis combined with increasing the number of available tests in hot zones could curb the number of infections significantly.
• Cepheid’s fast COVID-19 tests that deliver a diagnosis in 45 minutes will be available to hospitals in the US this week, as well as in other countries.
• Visit BGR’s homepage for more stories.

Most nations around the world battling the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes the new COVID-19 disease have been caught off guard by the pandemic, failing to prepare accordingly for imminent local outbreaks after witnessing what happened in China. Most of them are still behind when it comes to testing, with South Korea's extensive testing methods standing out from the crowd. While social distancing measures and improved personal hygiene can reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, comprehensive screening is required to understand exactly how bad the situation is, and to catch COVID-19 cases as early as possible. The virus is highly contagious, and because infected individuals can go up to 14 days before developing symptoms, you might not know you've been infected until it's too late.

Governments have been ramping up testing procedures, and this doesn't include just the purchase or manufacturing of more COVID-19 test kits, but also the development of faster tests that can deliver results in a matter of minutes rather than hours. Those rapid tests can be critical for quickly mapping out the spread of the disease in hot zones, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just taken a massive step by approving new tests that can deliver a COVID-19 diagnosis in only 45 minutes.

Continue reading...

Today's Top Deals

1. 7 exclusive limited-time deals only Amazon Prime members can get
2. Surprise sale: AirPods 2 fall to Amazon’s lowest price, AirPods Pro back in stock
3. Today’s best deals: Big Prime-exclusive sale, $24 Roku, $25 earbuds, $8 wireless charger, foam mattress toppers, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Spring breakers who refused to stop partying now have coronavirus
2. CDC launches ‘Coronavirus Self-Checker’ bot to analyze your symptoms
3. iOS 14 on iPhone 12: I can’t stop staring at this iOS 14 concept video

FDA approves rapid coronavirus test that gives results in 45 minutes originally appeared on BGR.com on Mon, 23 Mar 2020 at 13:07:18 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report