Starting April 1 this test can do 10,000 tests per day. Abbot Labs has been given emergency authorization to use the test. The test looks for fragments of the coronavirus when the virus is present in high amounts. This implies the test has false negatives when the virus is in lower amounts. However this test can only be used in approved labs like in hospitals and public and private labs, like in a private doctor’s office.
There are many coronaviruses out there, just how accurate is this test?
The test starts with taking a swab from the nose or the back of the throat, then mixing it with a chemical solution that breaks open the virus and releases its RNA. The mixture is inserted into an ID Now system, a small box weighing just under 7 pounds that has the technology to identify and amplify select sequences of the coronavirus genome and ignore contamination from other viruses.
The first cartridges for the test will be sent to emergency rooms and hospitals. It may take longer for doctor offices to get them.
