FDA Approves New Quickie Coronavirus Test — Will Take Only 45 Minutes For Results

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(IBEXNews) - A new test for coronavirus that takes just 45 minutes has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration — and could be available as soon as the end of March.

The quick test created by a California company called Cepheid will start shipping this coming week, it said.

“An accurate test delivered close to the patient can be transformative," said Dr. David Persing, a Cepheid executive.

The tests now being used take hours or even days to determine a result, leaving doctors and patients alike in stressful limbo.

"(It will) help alleviate the pressure that the ... outbreak has put on healthcare facilities that need to properly allocate their respiratory isolation resources,” Persing added.

The FDA granted emergency authorization for the test on Friday. Cepheid’s coronavirus test will be available at health care facilities that use its other testing equipment.

After a slow start, widespread testing for coronavirus is becoming more widely available in the U.S.

More than 200,000 tests have been completed, officials said Saturday, with millions more in the pipeline.

Critics say tests are still in short supply in some places, along with critical shortages of equipment and personal protective equipment needed to carry out the tests.

This story is breaking and will be updated.