You want to travel and you’re willing to jump through some hoops to do so, but what if it could be just a bit easier? If trials go well, it seems that it soon may be. A breathalyzer style test has been approved to detect covid-19 in Singapore, with results in just 90 seconds.
No swabs up the nose or the back of the throat, no spitting into a tube, just breathe out and wait 90 seconds for the all clear. Early studies show it’s got strong accuracy which means proving that you’re healthy to traveler may soon be a breath of fresh air.
Singapore’s 90 Second Covid-19 Test
Paddle Your Own Kanoo highlights a new Breathonix test, which has received preliminary approval from Singaporean health authorities for trial use at the land border with Malaysia, according to the Straits Times.
The test, which was developed from a National University of Singapore partnership, will be compared against PCR and antigen test results to determine its efficiency and ultimate role in beating back the pandemic.
Singapore has been extremely conservative with covid-19, but as a global hub of travel, commerce and trade, the country is eager to get people moving again. With test results in 90 seconds, this is the type of covid-19 test that could happen while ID’s are checked at an airport, without disrupting the flow of travel in the slightest.
Testing costs and hassles around displaying proof are already an issue for travel, but as passenger numbers rebound, things are expected to get worse. Border queues in some countries have taken up to 6 hours, as authorities vet extra documents.
Each little second and every added travel expense counts.
If this Breathonix breathalyzer style test, which involves a disposable mouthpiece, could eliminate costs and perform well in incredibly rapid situations, it could truly be the game changer we’ve been waiting for. Let’s hope trials in Singapore are successful and the test can make it’s way around the globe.
