The National Institutes of Health is putting hundreds of millions of dollars toward new SARS-CoV-2 tests with the hope of finding fast, cheap and high-quality versions sooner rather than later. One that promises to deliver on all three qualities just received emergency-use authorization by the FDA: a nasal swab antigen test.
For those keeping track at home, this is a variety of SARS-CoV-2 test you likely haven’t seen in action before. Instead of needing a blood draw, spit in a tube or a large machine to process someone’s nose swab, this antigen test requires medical professionals to wipe a nasal sample on a special card. In 15 minutes, according to the manufacturer, one line or two will appear. One means negative, and two means the sample provider has COVID-19. Abbott, the healthcare company behind the test, will sell them for $5 each.
