Abbott Labs Gets Emergency Approval For Rapid Coronavirus Test

NORTH CHICAGO, IL — The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency authorization for the use of a new coronavirus test that produces results within minutes, Abbott Laboratories announced Friday.

The new test is designed to run on portable devices the size of a small toaster than can be used in urgent care clinics, emergency rooms and doctors' offices, according to the North Chicago-based medical device maker.

It takes as little as five minutes for the new test to deliver positive results for coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, and 13 minutes to produce negative results, according to a news release.

The company will deliver 50,000 tests a day to U.S. heath care facilities starting the week of March 29, it said.

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Robert Ford, Abbott's president and chief operating officer, said the test would allow healthcare providers to conduct tests outside hospitals in coronavirus hot spots.

"The COVID-19 pandemic will be fought on multiple fronts," Ford said, "and a portable molecular test that offers results in minutes adds to the broad range of diagnostic solutions needed to combat this virus."

Last week, Abbott announced it planned to provide 1 million tests a week that work on Abbott-made machines at labs across the country and can conduct 470 tests in 24 hours.

Abbot's is the second coronavirus test that can deliver results at the point of care to win emergency use authorization from the FDA. Sunnyvale, California-base Cepheid last week received approval for a test that gives results within 45 minutes.

Earlier: Coronavirus Test Made By Abbott Labs Wins Emergency FDA Approval