How Does 90 minutes Covid -19 test work?

Dr.C.J.George
18 Jan 2021

One of the readers of my blog would like to know more about the 90 minute rapid test for Corona virus test to be rolled out by the U.K. government.Kits are to be made by London-based DNANudge, and will be launched next month. It analyses DNA in nose swabs but saves time as the results do not need to be sent to a laboratory. I do not know how it works as the coronavirus is a RNA VIRUS with URACIL nucleobase.I understand it works by DNA polymerase.In Coronavirus RNA virus mapping Uracil (U) is one of four chemical bases that are part of RNA. The other three bases are adenine (A), cytosine (C), and guanine (G). In DNA, the base is thymine (T). The advocates of this 90 minutes test claim that unlike Polymerase Chain Reaction test (PCR) false positive and negative are fewer. Like quarantine, social distancing, washing hands, wearing masks, testing is also very important tool to track down the contacts, and isolate them.

Therefore testing is the most significant ammunition to tackle the spread of the pandemic.It also helps to chart out the statistics.If the results are available quickly, more people will come forward for it.Until a vaccine is invented, social life revolve around testing, wearing masks and washing hands like Pontius Pilates!

Dr.C.J.George

This blog is about my experience as a doctor working in various countries in different clinical set up. This experience spans through 45 years, in which I acquired a lot of favourable contacts and unfavourable encounters. I shall dig deep into them and make it interesting to the readers. Unlike others in the profession, I worked as a community medical officer in a remote areas, prison medical officer, benefit service medical officer, in cardiac surgery in prestigious institutions and as a private doctor. I was managing my own businesses, and real estate in three continents. I hope the information I impart will be valuable to the like minded readers.