A SCOTTISH company has produced the first nose-only Covid swab made in Scotland.
While the Covid vaccine roll-out progresses, testing is predicted to remain part of our lives for a long time to come, especially for travel and group activities.
The nose-only swab has now been manufactured in a collaboration between the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) based at Heriot-Watt University, the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) and Paisley-based 3D-printing company Abergower.
The 3D-printed swabs provide a less intrusive experience compared to traditional cotton bud swabs, cutting testing time, reducing anxiety and minimising discomfort for patients.
MDMC and SMAS at Scottish Enterprise, along with other Scottish companies including E&O Laboratories and Andersen Caledonia, worked with the Scottish firm over the last 10 months to design and develop the swabs to UK and European specification and standards.