MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2020) The United Kingdom's government has announced the roll-out of two new rapid COVID-19 tests that it hopes will help to combat the pandemic amid an oncoming season of the common flu.
In a statement released on Monday, the government said it will supply the tests to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and facilities, as well as elderly care homes across the UK, bolstering their on-the-spot testing capabilities.
"We're using the most innovative technologies available to tackle coronavirus. Millions of new rapid coronavirus tests will provide on-the-spot results in under 90 minutes, helping us to break chains of transmission quickly," Health Secretary Matt Hancock was quoted as saying in the statement.
The two different testing methodologies were developed by separate private companies. Around 5,000 so-called Nudgebox machines will be provided to hospitals, the government said. Developed by DNAnudge which can produce results for up to 15 tests daily without the need for a laboratory. These machines are already in operation at eight London hospitals, the statement said.
Oxford Nanopore is another company Downing Street contracted to procure LamPORE testing systems, which claim to be able to produce 15,000 tests daily through a desktop machine.
Altogether, hospitals will be enhanced with an additional 5.8 million tests, and elderly care homes will have an additional 450,000 tests at their disposal, the statement said.
The health authorities in various countries are scrambling to prepare themselves for the flu season this fall, as it may seriously hamper efforts against the coronavirus pandemic. Accurately distinguishing the common flu from COVID-19 symptoms is a crucial challenge for effectively treating both outbreaks.
