Method to detect COVID-19 effectively from phone swabs: Study

LONDON: Researchers from the University College London (UCL), United Kingdom (UK) have developed a non-invasive and cheap technique which can accurately detect the novel coronavirus using the samples taken from screens of smartphones. They analysed the swabs via mobile phones rather than testing them directly using a method known as Phone Screen Testing (PoST).

The researchers found that those who tested positive by the regular nasal swab test also tested positive when the samples were taken from the mobile phones. The study, published in the journal eLife on Tuesday, June 22, detected the presence of the novel coronavirus on the phones of those who are 81 to 100 per cent contagious with high viral load, which suggests that this technique is as accurate as antigen tests.

The researchers noted that the global screening of SARS-CoV-2 is still a priority as COVID-19 is continuously mutating and new variants keep emerging when the vaccine rollout is not adequate in various countries. PoST is more of an environmental test rather than a clinical test, which is non-invasive and low costing than the traditional method of testing, according to the researchers.

The features mean that it is suitable for rollout in low-income countries and also decreases the discomfort of current testing methods. The team also added that PoST sampling takes less time and does not require any medical assistance. It is a revolutionary testing methodology which will help in mass testing and can also be used to contain future outbreaks of new natural and man-made viruses.