US to Provide 15-Minute At-Home COVID Tests - Requires Smartphone
SomeGuy writes:
U.S. Cuts $231 Million Deal To Provide 15-Minute COVID-19 At-Home Tests:
The Biden administration has made a $231.8 million deal with an Australian company to boost availability of the first at-home rapid test for the coronavirus which causes COVID-19 that is available without a prescription. The test, made by Ellume, can send results to a smartphone within 15 minutes of receiving a sample.
The Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization to Ellume's rapid test in December, after it showed 96% accuracy in a U.S. clinical study. Those trials included both adults and children of ages 2 years and older.
[...] The test uses a relatively short nasal swab to collect a sample. The sample is put into a digital analyzer linked to a smartphone app.
[...] As part of the new contract, Ellume has committed to providing 8.5 million tests to the federal government said Andy Slavitt, senior adviser to the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
[...] the test is not yet commercially available in the U.S. or elsewhere, but that the company would "be making further announcements around [the] rollout and retail plans in the coming weeks."
[...] Because of the expected $30 cost and the need for a smartphone to receive results, this particular test is unlikely to be the game-changer several public health experts have been calling for - a test that families could use routinely at home before leaving the house, to prevent silent spread.
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