Groundbreaking Covid test gives accurate on-the-spot result in just 90 minutes
SCIENTISTS have developed a groundbreaking Covid test that gives an accurate on-the-spot result in just 90 minutes.
DNAnudge is now being rolled out to NHS hospitals nationwide and could also be used in offices, schools and stadiums.
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A trial with 386 health workers and patients found it identified 94 per cent of infections while returning zero false positives.
The mobile phone-sized device delivers a result at the bedside without the need for a lab and does not need to be done by an expert.
Researchers say it can relieve pressure on central laboratories, increase overall testing capacity and speed up access to care.
It may even be suitable for home use.
The Government has ordered 5,000 of the machines to carry out 5.8million tests in NHS hospitals using a nasal swab.
The gadgets, which can also diagnose flu, are already in use in eight London hospitals. One test costs £30.
'LIFE-SAVING INNOVATION'
Prof Chris Toumazou, from DNAnudge, said: “The DNAnudge test was developed as a lab-free, on-the-spot consumer service that can be delivered at scale.
“We clearly believe it offers very significant potential in terms of mass population testing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The platform is well suited to testing in primary care and community settings with potential for use in non-healthcare settings such as care homes, schools, transport hubs, offices, and, to help bring the arts back, in theatres and venues.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised the “life-saving innovation”.
Study leader Prof Graham Cook, from Imperial College London, said the results were comparable to a typical lab test.
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He added: “Many tests involve a trade-off between speed and accuracy, but this test manages to achieve both.
“Developing an effective bedside test in under three months has been an incredible collaboration between teams of engineers, clinicians and virologists.”
The findings from the trial have been published in the journal The Lancet Microbe.
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