FDA Approves First “Point-Of-Care” Coronavirus Test That Can Give Rapid Results

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.