New coronavirus finger-prick test 'can detect infection in 15 minutes'

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the test takes 15 minutes, it is claimed
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Luke O'Reilly18 March 2020

A UK based laboratory claims it has developed a finger-prick testing kit that can detect Covid-19 infection in just 15 minutes.

AlphaBiolabs told the Liverpool Echo that the test can be performed by an individual or company health professional, and will show whether a person has the coronavirus or not.

The Warrington based firm claimed the sample collection method used is less unpleasant than the current nasopharyngeal method, which involves swapping the nose and the back of the throat.

A spokesperson for AlphaBiolabs said the company wants to target businesses interested in screening their employees.

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The test costs £125 plus VAT. It involves taking a blood sample via finger prick and then putting it into a screening device.

The firm claims that the test takes only 15 minutes to provide information on whether the subject is infected, and how recently they were infected.

David Thomas, managing director of AlphaBiolabs, said: “This rapid immunoassay-based test can detect the presence of a Covid-19 infection without using expensive private clinics or relying on an already-stretched NHS.

“Recent studies suggest that a high percentage of patients show no clinical symptoms, which is why the spread of coronavirus is creating major logistical and operational problems for businesses, with no way of predicting how long the pandemic will last or the impact it will have.

"Human resources teams are having to deal with the physical and emotional concerns of their staff while continuing to perform their duties in this climate of uncertainty.

“Immediate results are essential if employees need to be isolated or quarantined.”

He added: “Most companies are putting together plans to have employees working from home but, for many sectors this is not possible, such as distribution, warehousing, logistics or service businesses.

“As a testing services provider, we have been inundated by requests from our customers to help address the issue, as a lot of the advice currently available from government, health bodies and the media is very mixed.

“We are pleased to be able to respond to this demand by offering a fully-certificated European-registered device which can be used in a healthcare or commercial premises environment. We are proud to be the first UK laboratory equipped to process test results on a mass scale, although we have a limited supply of the kits available.”

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