New, highly accurate 20-minute COVID-19 test is trialed across the University of Surrey
A new, highly accurate COVID-19 test, Virus Hunter 6 (VH6), which delivers results in under 20 minutes is being trialed across the University of Surrey, this week.
Developed by three leading universities - University of Surrey, Brunel University London, and Lancaster University - in collaboration with commercial partner Vidiia Ltd, the test has been shown to be 99 per cent accurate in lab trials and has been developed for use as a mass point-of-care product in large settings such as universities, airports, and care homes.
The device can test up to six samples simultaneously and uses LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification - which is more rapid and easier to perform than PCR) technology, a single-tube technique that amplifies the nucleic acid of the virus using nasal and oral swab samples. A unique buffer used in the device reduces processing time, makes handling samples much safer and remo