Old Computer Hard Drives Upcycled to COVID Tests
The kit costs $51 to make
Article via LabRoots
Have you heard about the COVID test vending machines? These ‘self-serve’ testing protocols are part of efforts to control the tsunami of infections that have taken over communities across the world associated with the rise of Omicron.
However, when it comes to regaining control over the coronavirus, some countries are well ahead of others. Remote or resource-poor regions, for instance, don’t have the same levels of access to the rapid tests, diagnostic laboratory facilities, or trained personnel needed to process COVID-19 test samples.
Researchers recently reported on an innovative solution for this challenge: a simple, low-cost ‘lab-in-a-backpack.’ The compact, portable technology does away with the need for expensive laboratory equipment and costs just $51 to assemble. Most promisingly, the developers of the test say that it’s as accurate as currently-available diagnostics on the market, making it a feasible alternative for when these commercial kits aren’t available.
The test is non-invasive and can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples.
The pandemic has exposed massive inequalities in access to clinical measures to control the spread of COVID-19 (such as vaccines, drugs…
