FDA approves first breath test to detect Covid-19

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The U.S. has approved its first breath test for COVID-19.
• The FDA said the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer can now be used in medical offices and mobile testing sites.
• The Breathalyzer can provide results in around three minutes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first Covid-19 test that uses breath samples on Thursday.

The FDA noted that the device, called the InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer, has to be used by a trained operator. The agency noted that the test can provide results in around three minutes.

In a statement, the FDA explains the Breathalyzer test can detect chemicals associated with Covid-19 that cause the disease in a breath sample. If the result comes out positive, it should be followed up by a molecular test.

“Today’s authorization is yet another example of the rapid innovation occurring with diagnostic tests for Covid-19,” Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in the statement.

The equipment for the Breathalyzer test is just about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage.

The typical Covid tests people used include nasal or saliva swabs.

The Covid-19 test which is considered to be the most accurate is the polymerase chain reaction or PCR test. There are also rapid antigen tests with some that can be done at home.

Currently, the country is having a wave of cases of the BA.2 omicron subvariant which now accounts for about 86 percent of U.S. cases, according to the CDC.

The average daily cases have increased by 9 percent in the last two weeks, according to NBC News’ tally. But the country’s Covid hospitalizations are at an all-time low.

Since the pandemic started in 2020, the U.S. has reported more than 80.7 million Covid cases with over 992,500 deaths, according to NBC News’ Covid Data Dashboard.

Mask rules have been lifted or eased in many areas of the U.S. as cases have dropped but federal mask mandates for travelers on airplanes, trains and other public transit systems have been extended through May 3.

On Monday, Philadelphia announced it is reinstating an indoor mask mandate amid the rising Covid cases.

Source: AOL.Com