Sruthi Vibhavari
United Kingdom’s Rapid Test Consortium (RTC), in partnership with Oxford University and other leading diagnostic firms developed a COVID-19 antibody test that takes 20 minutes to give results. The first major trial passed with 98.6% accuracy.
These finger-prick tests could tell if a person has ever been exposed to the Coronavirus, within 20 minutes. Human trials were conducted in late June, reports say.
These antibody tests are being called game-changers for their exceptional speed as compared to regular antibody tests. So far, the results via a regular antibody test kit take days.
The UK-RTC is now working to ensure quick approval of the test from the British Government and related authorities, so that test kits can be produced for use.
However, experts in the health care opine that these tests do not guarantee whether the presence of antibodies indicates immunity from being re-infected.