PCR test kit that can detect Covid-19 in 5 minutes

Local medical technology company Cell ID has created a portable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kit that can confirm if someone has Covid-19 in five minutes.

Chief technology officer Xander Sim said those administering the test would not need specialized training or a laboratory to produce results, Report says, citing TASS.

The nasal swab test is run through an app on a laptop and requires less than two training hours to operate.
However, the operator must be trained to take nasal swab samples.

"This way, when passengers come in at an airport, you only need to hold them for a short time before you get a result," Mr. Sim said on Monday (Nov 30) at a press conference to announce the Quiz PCR Biochip test kit.

The "gold standard" for Covid-19 testing is the PCR test.

However, PCR tests require highly specialized labs and technicians to run the tests and liquid reagents that must be kept refrigerated.

It can also take days to return the results.