Health Canada has approved a new COVID-19 test strip that can provide accurate results for up to nine samples in just 60 minutes.
The news was announced Wednesday by Precision Biomonitoring – a company founded by a group of scientists at the University of Guelph in Ontario – that Health Canada has officially approved its ready-to-use “thermostable SARS-CoV-2 TRIPLELOCK™”Test Strips for use across the country.
The strips are nucleic acid-based, which can detect the coronavirus, and the strips can be transported without refrigeration, according to a press release.
Precision Biomonitoring says that the “cost-effective, Canadian-manufactured test” will help support the government and industry as Canada focuses on safely re-opening the economy amid the second wave.
“We are proud to be adding another Health Canada approval to the list of testing devices offered by Precision Biomonitoring. We have been working closely with various industries across Canada to help bring their workforce back safely, and are thrilled to be expanding that capability,” says Dr. Mario Thomas, CEO, Precision Biomonitoring. “This approval also means we can strengthen our ongoing support for federal and provincial governments, as well as Canadian industries.”
According to Precision Biomonitoring, the newly approved test strip is designed to be ideal for on-the-spot testing. The company also says the strips are highly accurate and easy to use. This will benefit remote parts of the country where adequate access to precise testing may be limited, the press release states.
Eric Hoskins, former Minister of Health and Long-Term Care of Ontario adds that the TRIPLELOCK™ test “will be crucial in workplaces across the country, schools, and rural and remote areas, where answers are needed fast.”
Graham Cox
