Abbott ID NOW™ COVID-19 Test Can Deliver Test Results In Just 5 Minutes
With the Coronavirus, and it’s subsequent sickness, COVID-19, ravaging across the globe, and with the United States now leading the world in most diagnosed cases, there’s some much-welcome, positive news on the horizon from health technology company, Abbott, and their new ID NOW™ COVID-19 test.
Having recently received emergency use authorization by the FDA, Abbott boasts that their new ID NOW™ COVID-19 test can deliver test results in just 5 minutes. If this is true, this is a HUGE (and most welcome) improvement from where we started out in the USA, which usually required waiting up to 72 hours (on average) before test results could be achieved, with some patients waiting for almost a week for their results, and even then, receiving tests were incredibly difficult, because test kits were in such short supply.
As it stands, Abbott plans to ramp up manufacturing to deliver 50,000 tests per day, and is stating that they expect to produce up to 5 million tests a month, starting in April, based on their new technological breakthrough.
Testing, Testing, Testing…
Now, more than ever, the world needs more tests pertaining to the Coronavirus, and to be able to detect whether or not someone has contracted COVID-19. With increased testing, local, national, and international governments & communities can then begin to accurately verify who is infected, who’s developed antibodies, but is no longer infected, and who needs emergency care so our healthcare professionals can get out ahead of this pandemic, instead of lagging behind, playing catchup due to the lack of tests available.
What Abbott claims to have managed to achieve is, again, a very welcome breakthrough, as the last FDA quick-turnaround tests took approximately 10 – 15 minutes before test results could be achieved. If Abbot has managed to reduce that time down to 5 minutes with their new ID NOW™ COVID-19 test, this will significantly help to flatten the curve, and give our medical professionals the break they need to strategize about containment.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Now, more than ever, our medical professionals need PPE. Even with this technological advancement in testing for COVID-19, medical professionals around the world are in short supply of PPE, and are most at risk of contracting the Coronavirus, due to working in such close proximity of patients infected by the virus. The problem is that if our medical professionals become infected, then that compromises their ability to treat their patients in a timely manner. It also puts other patients who suffer from immunocompromised diseases at extreme risk, ranging from infants & toddlers, to the elderly.
Practice Safe Social / Physical Distancing
As a community, it is each and every one of our responsibilities to do our part, and ensure that we’re all practicing safe, social / physical distancing. By doing so, until every citizen has been tested and / or treated, we’re helping to flatten the curve of the spread of this virus, and helping to save lives. Make no mistake about it; every act of selflessness and empathy is going to make a difference, and will help slow the spread of this virus, and aid in the fight against this global pandemic. Let’s all do our part, let’s hold each other accountable, and let’s all be responsible.
*PSA – Don’t Just Show Up. Call First.
As a Public Service Announcement, if you feel like you may be symptomatic of COVID-19, please be sure to contact a healthcare provider in your area by phone or email. Please don’t just show up to the hospital unless a healthcare provider has designated that is what’s best for you. For safety reasons, all medical & healthcare providers are asking anyone who believes that they may be symptomatic of COVID-19, to call, or email first, and not just show up. By giving healthcare providers a heads up, they can make preparations for your arrival, and avoid any unnecessary exposure to their staff, and other patients who suffer from immunocompromised diseases, or may be of higher risk. Your consideration can quite literally save lives.
