Coronavirus: UK orders 3.5 million 15-minute tests to detect COVID-19 antibodies

Researchers at a leading university are finalising work on a new coronavirus test that can quickly detect whether someone has already beaten the virus.

less than 2 min read

March 26, 2020 - 2:26PM

The British Government hopes to push millions of coronavirus tests into pharmacies and online stores within days, that can detect coronavirus antibodies from a self-administered finger prick.

The first round of the tests will be reserved for hospital patients, health care staff and other essential workers, but it is hoped they will eventually be available for the general public to test themselves.

The tests are aimed at detecting which people have already had coronavirus and recovered from it, so that they can return to work and go back to living their lives.

But it doesn’t detect whether someone is currently infected with the virus.

The tests are designed to quickly detect who has already contracted and beaten the coronavirus. Picture: AP Photo / Steve Helber

The target is for results to be returned within 15 minutes, based on a blood sample taken from a finger prick, similar to how diabetics monitor their blood sugar.

The UK Government has ordered 3.5 million of the tests so far with more to follow.

Advisers to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have stated that people who have been infected with coronavirus can’t get it again, despite isolated reports in other countries that people have contracted the virus a second time.

UK National Infection Service director Sharon Peacock told a parliamentary panel the tests could be rolled out within “days”.

The tests should work similar to the way diabetics monitor their blood sugar.

“Once we are assured that they do work, they will be rolled out into the community,” Professor Peacock said.

“In the near future, people will be able to order a test that they can test themselves, or go to (the chemist), or somewhere similar to have their finger prick test done.”

The tests are now being evaluated by researchers at Oxford University.

Eleven days ago Public Health England advised against the use of testing kits being sold at pharmacies.

More than 9500 Britons have tested positive for coronavirus as the total number of people tested approached 100,000 on Thursday morning.

UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:

As of 9am on 25 March, a total of 97,019 have been tested:

87,490 negative.
9,529 positive.

463 patients who tested positive for coronavirus have sadly died. Please note these figures do not cover a full 24 hour period. pic.twitter.com/VxEy3syL0L
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) March 25, 2020