A compact toaster-sized appliance performs a coronavirus test (COVID-19) in just 5 minutes

Abbott announced that it has received permission from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to use the fastest new coronavirus infection test (COVID-19). A compact Abbott ID NOW device weighing 3 kilograms and the size of an average toaster takes only 5 minutes to determine a positive result, the device gives a negative result in 13 minutes.

The undoubted convenience of Abbott ID NOW is that it can be used outside the walls of a specialized clinic. For example, you can install in the office of a general practitioner. Abbott has already announced an increase in ID NOW production from next week, the company’s goal is to ensure that 50,000 COVID-19 tests per day are conducted in the United States.

Molecular testing of COVID-19 in medical institutions can significantly expand the scope of testing and reduce the time to get the result. The technology is quite simple: a small portion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA is taken, this segment is “amplified” until it is detected in the patient’s biomaterial. As a result, a positive response to the study appears after 5 minutes, to a negative, of course, it takes more time – up to 13 minutes. It should be noted that the device is useful even if it is not used for the diagnosis of COVID-19: it can be used to diagnose influenza A and B (for example, H5N1 – “bird flu”) and respiratory syncytial virus.