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Simple supermarket ingredient behind innovative COVID test

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Simple supermarket ingredient behind innovative COVID test

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An everyday ingredient available in Coles and Woolworths is behind an innovative COVID-19 test in Australia that can offer results in just minutes.
The research is being conducted by XING Technologies, a Brisbane laboratory, and is as simple as taking a nasal swab, placing a few drops of a special solution onto the swab, then seeing either a positive or negative coronavirus result come through within a few minutes.

Dr Yadveer Grewal is running the research project and says simple baker’s yeast is behind the “game-changing” new technology.

Dr Yadveer Grewal says a simple supermarket ingredient is behind Australia’s latest coronavirus testing venture. (Today)

“The key of our test, compared to other tests, is we are looking at live active infectious virus,” Dr Grewal told Today.

“The other tests on the market are excellent, all good tests, but they can’t discriminate between live virus or dead virus.

“We want to combine our reagent with a low-cost test that can be used at bed side – so we combined it with a strip technology that you often find in pregnancy test strips.

“That way someone could have a nasal swab taken, apply it to a strip and within five to 15 minutes, depending on how infectious they are, get a result then and there.”

Dr Grewal said with recent reports of rapid tests returning in accurate results like false positiveTs and negatives, it was important the test used be high-quality.

“A really high-quality test like a PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) lab test is the best, because you get tested once and go away.”

Coronavirus testing
A quick simple nasal swab test is being researched in Queensland. (Getty)
The same test is also being researched in the US and Dr Grewal hopes the Australian one can be used to prevent further outbreaks and hotspots developing by testing people before they enter high-risk areas like aged care facilities, shopping centres, hospitals and airports.

“If you are a doctor or nurse going to hospital, a test like ours could allow you to be tested at the beginning of each shift and get a result,” he said.

“Testing yourself every couple of days is about equivalent to having a once-off high quality specific test from a lab.”

Abbott Laboratories coronavirus test
A similar test is also being developed in the US by Abbott Laboratories. (Abbott Laboratories via AP)
The Queensland Government has provided $1.5 million in funding, in hopes the technology could eventually also be developed into a spray that could be applied to personal protective equipment as well.

If successful, the test could cost as little as a cup of coffee and be a complete game-changer in the fight against coronavirus.

Dr Grewal said the Australian government is working with US health authorities and the test could be available by the end of the year.

“We are hoping to have our trials completed by the end of this year and ideally then we are able to manufacture immediately and distribute it,” he said.

Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service is a 24/7 service free of charge to all Australians. Visit the site here or call 1800512348

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