Israel pilots 15-min covid detection test at a school

The pilot program launched by the Sheba medical center at an Israeli school on Sunday produced results within 15 minutes. All 60 pupils and 15 teachers taking part in the trial tested negative. The program’s director, Prof. Gili Regev, said that the tests will be run in two more schools and, if successful could provide the key to keeping the school system open under close, regular monitoring for the virus.

The new covid-19 detection device by Israeli startup Newsight, in collaboration with Sheba, employs light waves to analyze molecular content. It is simple to use, needing only a sample of fluid – blood serum or saliva – to determine in less than a second the presence of coronavirus in a body. Final results of the trial are expected by next September.