Researchers at the Cambridge Institute for Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID) have developed an improved test for COVID-19, which is being used for testing front-line NHS staff.
The test is a modified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test which enables diagnosis of the infection within four hours, as opposed to current tests, which take more than 24 hours to deliver a result.
Owing to the infectious nature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the samples typically need to be processed in containment level 3 facilities, thereby slowing down the PCR testing process. The team at CITIID led by Professor Stephen Baker has determined a way of inactivating the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the point of sampling, which enables further testing to be rapidly conducted in level 2 facilities that are far greater in number and have fewer restrictions on their use.
Samples are collected using nasal swabs. After inactivation of the virus, the samples are sent to the laboratory and tested, the complete process taking just four hours. Prof Baker has clarified that they have enough reagents for testing 200 samples a day, five days a week, for the next 10-12 weeks. The test has been validated against the approved Public Health England tests and is currently being utilised for screening NHS staff at a Cambridge hospital.
Prof Baker said: "Now that we are able to inactivate it, we can dramatically improve the turnaround time from swab to result. This will be extremely useful in helping test NHS frontline staff and helping clarify whether self-isolating healthcare staff are infected or negative, potentially allowing them to return to work."
