BARRIE

Barrie company develops first COVID-19 finger-prick rapid test

Kim Phillips CTVNews.ca Barrie Journalist

Published Thursday, February 18, 2021 6:06PM EST

FILE - This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, green, cultured in the lab. (NIAID-RML via AP)

Text:

BARRIE, ONT. -- The first finger-prick blood test to determine if an individual has been exposed to COVID-19 is being developed in Barrie.

Verify Diagnostics announced Heath Canada approved the Assure Tech Ecotest on Wednesday.

The Barrie innovative company says the rapid test detects if an individual has been exposed to COVID-19 or has immunity by testing for two specific antibodies through a small blood sample.

Verify Diagnostics President Tim Salter says antibody testing is key to understanding the virus.

"In the data we put together for Health Canada, in regard to our clinical trials for IgG detection, was 100 per cent. We nailed every single one of the specimens."

Verify Diagnostics has been working with Health Canada since the start of the pandemic to introduce this test.

The rapid test isn't intended for home use but can be administered by a physician, nurse or pharmacist.

The results are available in about 15 minutes.

With files from CTV's Roger Klein