Virocule has obtained authorisation from Health Canada for the sale of its non-invasive spray, ANOSMIC COVID-19 Smell Tester.
Engineered from various ingredients to produce a characteristic odour, ANOSMIC is fast, cost-effective, and accurate. In addition, it can be easily used regularly.
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It is the first authorised Class 1 medical device that can screen subjects at home on a regular basis to contain the Covid-19 spread.
Many people with Covid-19 infection develop sudden loss or deterioration of smell, which is a common and early symptom of the disease.
According to recent studies, over 80% of people have smell disturbances after being infected.
If a person experiences sudden loss or deterioration of smell, then they are advised to seek medical attention and obtain a confirmatory Covid-19 test.
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By GlobalDataANOSMIC can be used in three simple steps. The tester should be sprayed on a tissue or the wrist, then it should be sniffed from 2in away.
A person can self-assess by checking whether distinct odour can be detected or if it is harder to smell it from one day to the next.
Virocule chief scientific officer Dr Deven Sandhu said: “In clinical studies with 211 participants, ANOSMIC was shown to have a high accuracy of over 90% in screening for a Covid-19 infection (91% sensitivity and 97% specificity at a 95% confidence interval).
“Research by others has shown that smell loss is a much more specific indicator of a Covid-19 infection than elevated temperature / fever.”
“The nasal passage is a principal gateway for the coronavirus to enter the body. That may be a reason why the loss of smell may be an early indicator of an infection.”
The smell tester was also adopted by ETIO Public Health Consultants for its screening protocol to be used along with its CovidGuard service for businesses.
