Written By: @dawnnnyy_
On Saturday, Cepheid, a molecular diagnostic company, received “emergency” approval from The Food and Drug Administration to administer the first rapid point-of-care test that will detect COVID-19. The test can deliver results in less than an hour.
According to People, the test is named SAR-CoV-2-Xpert Xpress and can detect the virus in 45 minutes. While the Silicon Valley-based company “has approved about a dozen other COVID-19 tests in response to the public health emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic, this is the first one that can be used at the point-of-care.”
The newly approved test will be much more efficient. Before, health care workers would take a nasal swab and send it off to a lab where the process can likely take days to see a result. Now, detection can be done right inside a doctor’s office in approximately 45 minutes.
The need for on-demand tests is at an all-time high. “During this time of increased demand for hospital services, Clinicians urgently need an on-demand diagnostic test for real-time management of patients being evaluated for admission to health-care facilities,” said Dr. David Persing, chief medical and technology officer at Cepheid.
Cepheid said the tests will be available by the end of the month.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
