Pharmatech has announced that it is currently producing and distributing a rapid Covid-19 test in the US for the detection of viral antibodies in blood, serum or plasma.

The test is being made available to healthcare providers nationwide, and does not require any instruments or refrigeration. It is intended to be administered by healthcare professionals via a finger-prick blood sample at point-of care, and provides results within ten minutes.

Clinical testing of the device has indicated a sensitivity of 97%, a specificity of 96% and an accuracy of 96%.

Pharmatech vice president Dr Thomas Aucoin said: “We’re proud to be part of an important step forward in global efforts to combat the spread of Covid-19 during this public health crisis. We are currently manufacturing the tests in our facility in San Diego for customers in a dozen states who are already conducting the tests on symptomatic patients in local communities.”