A new COVID-19 test developed by the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, which offers multiple results in under one hour, will be included in a novel four-layer approach meant to ensure that the Haifa-based institute of higher learning will be as safe as possible for all who study and work there during the pandemic, a press release said.
Created by Prof. Naama Geva-Zatorsky, the NaorCov19 test requires a saliva sample which is then heated. If the sample remains pink, it is virus free; if it turns yellow, the patient has the virus. Users can leave samples, record having done so via their phones, and be informed as soon as results are in as they go on with their workday, the Haifa publication Colbo News reported on Saturday.
The test is currently being commercialized by Rapid Diagnostic Systems Ltd, which also gave it the name Naor. As it hasn’t yet been approved by the Health Ministry, the test is currently employed as a first check-up by the Technion with a standard test then being given to those who are found positive for the novel coronavirus.
With its four-layered policy, the Technion sticks to the Purple Badge guidelines and keeps track of the campus sewage system to spot evidence of COVID-19 infections. The NaorCov19 is the new third layer, and the standard checks for those who the Naor test finds positive is the fourth.
“Living alongside COVID-19 is an enormous challenge for all the population," Technion president Prof. Uri Sivan said, expressing his hope that the means invented by Technion researchers will be used across the country.