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But Kapoor argues that the key to reducing workload is more testing, particularly for asymptomatic people.
“COVID-19 is a very intelligent virus, which gathers asymptomatic hosts and then attacks random targets. And we know that over 40% of people who test positive are asymptomatic.
“So instead of letting people think, ‘oh, I was tested two months ago I’m fine’, let’s do something now to allow further testing for everyone.”
CoviLamp technology is based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which detects the novel coronavirus quickly and accurately, regardless of whether a patient is asymptomatic or has mild, moderate or severe disease.
For example, existing antigen tests may have 93% accuracy if patients are symptomatic, but they do not always provide high accuracy for asymptomatic patients.
The test also avoids picking up other viruses, which often slow down and complicate existing tests.
CoviLamp’s approach using LAMP is an “isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique”, which tests rapidly across a constant temperature as opposed to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, which uses a series of steps or alternating temperature cycles, which take much longer.
Kapoor also hopes to eventually push the technology into a home test kit available for purchase at any pharmacy.
“Most Calgarians are responsible and want to do the right thing in terms of COVID-19. But many of them just don’t know they have COVID, they don’t have the information.
“So why not let them take the tests they deserve and pass this virus.”
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