it is, however, much easier to provide a sample for the breathalyzer than using the swabs that accompany antigen tests. “it’s not scary, there’s no disincentive for use based upon comfort,” deonandan said.
to produce a sample, a user must exhale for about 10 seconds into a single-use straw attached to the device. this sample is rapidly heated and ionized by the breathalyzer while the unit’s algorithmic software searches for chemical components associated with a covid-19 infection. a green light on the machine indicates a negative result and a red light means positive.
the unit, which the fda says is about the size of a piece of carry-on luggage, must be operated by a qualified operator under the supervision of a healthcare provider, making it ideal for schools, day-care centres and long-term healthcare facilities.
“you’re going to miss some people, obviously, but the number of people you catch will be much higher,” deonandan said. “and so i think it’ll have a profound effect on transmission rates in these key settings.”
inspectir systems, the manufacturer of the device, has not revealed when the units will be available or how much they will cost. experts have already noted a few potential limitations, however, including the supervision required to operate the units. “one of the biggest silver linings to the pandemic, quite frankly, has been that people have gotten access to tools that let them self-determine and self-test,” barrett said. “this is not that tool.”
dave yasvinski is a writer with
healthing.ca
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