Toowoomba scientist Dr Scott Fry backs use of rapid testing kids to combat spread of Covid-19

Dr Scott Fry’s work has created a highly accurate home testing kit for Covid-19. With rapid testing kits now becoming popular, the former Toowoomba scientist is backing their rollout.

Ellume's head of research and development Dr Scott Fry helped develop a highly effective digital Covid-19 home testing kit.

The Toowoomba-born research scientist on the cutting edge of rapid antigen testing against Covid-19 has backed a call to make at-home testing kits free and widely accessible for all Australians.

Dr Scott Fry (pictured), whose work at Brisbane diagnostic healthcare company Ellume has led to a 95-97 per cent accurate Covid home testing kit currently being used in the United States, says rapid antigen testing could be used alongside clinical testing to give people fast, accurate results.

Ellume is currently producing up to 300,000 kits a week for the US, which is in the grips of another wave of cases thanks to the Omicron variant spreading.

The company, along with other manufacturers of RATs, was approved for Australia by the Therapeutic Goods Administration in September.

Dr Fry, who completed all his studies in Toowoomba, said he supported any government plan that would make them more affordable or even free.

“We are manufacturing well over 200,00 to 300,000 a week and they’re all being exported to the US,” he said.

“The USA and Europe are using a large number of RATs and as the cases of Covid increase with more open borders and more community transmission, you’ll see a real need.

“There is definitely a need to use consumer-based testing for Sars-COV2.”

Dr Fry said people who needed to be tested could obtain a home test and use it as an early indicator.

“You can’t make a definitive diagnosis but it can provide an initial outcome,” he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed RATs would be introduced for people arriving from interstate in 2022.