New 50 second Covid test designed for schools and airports

A 50-second Covid test designed for use in schools, airports and events has been submitted for approval.

A Covid test that takes less than one minute and is designed for use in schools, airports and events has been submitted to the UK’s medicines regulator for approval.
The test, which is portable and approximately the size of a desktop computer, can detect Covid particles in saliva samples in 50 seconds, according to creator Kidod Science and Technology.
The company claims that it can provide results like a PCR test and that it may be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) within weeks.
According to the firm, it can process an estimated 50 results an hour, which is significantly quicker than lateral flow tests – which can take around 30 minutes for a result and a PCR test can take 24 hours or longer.
The technology used differs from that used in PCR tests which looks for genetic material of Covid, and lateral flow tests which detects viral proteins inside the nose and throat.
President of Kidod Science and Technology Moshe Golan said: “The point is that we detect the people who are infected, not just carrying the particles of virus, which is a big difference.”
“Every day we breathe in millions of particles of viruses but they don’t make us sick. We get sick when the virus goes inside the cells and starts to reproduce itself. This is an infection.”
He continued: “We are ready for mass production, and if agencies approve it we can cover the whole world in a few months.”
“Because it’s standalone you don’t need a lab. You can take it from one place to another, so it can be in a small place, for example, a small factory with one hundred workers. Once they’re tested you can move it to another place.”
Mr Golan wants the device to be used in airports, on cruises, factories, schools, and universities: “Wherever they need it because it’s fast. You don’t need an expert or a lab. Just you put it on a table, connect it to the computer and start working,” he said.

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