Test promises to detect Covid-19 in 20 minutes

Researchers at a university in Australia have developed a test that promises to determine, in less than 20 minutes and reliably, whether a person has or has ever had the coronavirus.
Well, a little bit of blood is enough. Researchers look for antibodies against coronavirus, and can reveal if the person is infected or even if they have ever had Covid-19. It's just that the antibodies remain in the blood system for a while, albeit in a smaller amount.
The first difference from other quick tests is that this is very simple and cheaper. Because it uses a method similar to that of laboratories that identify people's blood type, so common all over the world. But with a small change: a new molecule, copied from the coronavirus itself, which only reacts when there is the presence of antibodies against the disease.
The scientific paper published by the group explains how to develop this molecule. A simple lab could examine up to 200 blood samples per hour. The ones with the most modern equipment, 700 samples per hour, almost 17,000 per day.
So many tests and with such a fast result, less than 20 minutes, can help too much in public policy. Case screening and isolation of people, for example, could be done much more efficiently.
In the Team of the Australian University that created the test, the team of the National Journal discovered two Brazilians: Rodrigo and Diana, phD students from Monash University in the city of Melbourne.
Diana says that for now, the team did few tests in the lab, but that all the results were accurate and checked more than once. This can be the big difference from other quick tests, which often give a result called a false negative or false positive.
"We tested on a low scale and all tests proved the presence or absence of the virus," said Diana Alves, a doctoral candidate at Monash University.
Rodrigo explains that the team completed the first stage, which, in science, is called proof of concept. "Now that it has been proven, we have to test it on a large scale to demonstrate that, yes, this test is possible to be used and can be adopted in countries that need mass testing," says Rodrigo Curvello, a doctoral candidate at Monash University.
You both know this is only a first step, but getting in the news all over the world has shown that you're on the right track. "When we are children, we want to make a difference in the world. And you don't know how. That's why I chose to be a scientist. As this test is fast, it is cheaper, we can reach our country, which is Brazil, and other countries", says Diana.