This COVID test takes your breath away
Is it finally time to say goodbye to painful swabs and say hello to hassle-free breath tests? (Photo: Pixabay)
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the first COVID-19 breath test for emergency use last Thursday.
The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer sounds like something out of a comic, but it’s serious stuff. It’s able to detect chemical components of the virus in under three minutes and is 91% accurate for positive samples and nearly 100% for negative samples. That’s only 5% below the RT-PCR’s 96% sensitivity, and minus the swab jammed down the uncomfortable liminal space between your nose and throat.
Roughly as big as a piece of carry-on luggage, it’s recommended for clinics, pop-up test sites, airports, and other places that need to quickly screen large groups.
It comes with a few caveats, though.
First, a positive result should be confirmed by a PCR test, according to the FDA. Right now, experts are still waiting for more data to prove it can diagnose COVID-19 on its own.
Second, its use requires a trained operator supervised by a licensed healthcare provider.
Lastly, it’s nothing new.
InspectIR Systems debuted their Breathalyzer in 2020, the same time other countries came out with similar technologies. Additionally, breath tests have been used to diagnose other conditions, such as lactose intolerance and liver disease.
InspectIR’s device is the first COVID-19 breath test to hit US markets. However, it still needs funding before it can be widely used.
Since the Breathalyzer can only process 20 samples an hour, the company aims to produce 100 units per week. At that scale, it can screen 64,000 samples in a month—a valuable asset for a country threatened by the undetected spread of COVID.
(READ: If only Elon Musk used his money for, frankly, more useful things)
Luckily, the company has raised $2.7 million to date, with German manufacturer Pfeiffer Vacuum signed as an initial partner.
Needing a literal breather from COVID
The US isn’t the only place in the world in danger of an unexpected COVID-19 surge due to a drop in testing. At this point in the pandemic, it’s safe to say testing fatigue is now a thing around the world.
But where there’s smoke, there’s fire. While Omicron’s milder symptoms arguably do not cause as much concern among citizens and governments anymore, this hasn’t stopped death tolls from rising.
In the Philippines, “cheaper” options for standard testing are still above the minimum wage. With recent return-to-work orders issued at the start of the month without the necessary safeguards in place, a fuss-free, subsidized Breathalyzer would be ideal to have at the next BPO office or MRT station.
As to when these noninvasive tests could become the norm in a post-COVID-19 Philippines, there’s no telling yet. It could take months and even more hard data for the technology to, say, replace thermal scanners at mall entrances, but we’re still holding our breath.
