A free app which enables people to record their COVID-19 status after undergoing a lateral flow test has launched.听
Test To Go, available on Apple and Android devices,听records听the results听of a test听instantly and creates听a digital certificate.听
Developed by Excalibur Healthcare Services and powered by听MagnifEye, it听could help businesses welcome staff safely back to the office and enable people to听travel, participate in leisure activities or attend events听with greater confidence.听
The Department of Health & Social Care has signed a production contract to use the technology for reading COVID-19 lateral flow diagnostic tests as part of the UK government鈥檚 asymptomatic testing programme.听
The听app offers an 鈥榚nterprise鈥� setting which is particularly suited for use by employers and managers in the office, travel, events, hospitality, entertainment, sport, leisure, health and social care sectors. There is also a separate setting for individuals.听
Excalibur听says the听app听eliminates errors in reading听tests:听during extensive trials involving over 15,000 samples, the听app was up to three times more effective than the human eye in confirming low levels of infection.听听
Recorded test results are submitted within seconds to听the听Public Health England national database for monitoring infection levels.听
It听can also record the user鈥檚 PCR test results straight from the laboratory should they be required for travel purposes and has the capacity to add vaccine and serology certification.听
The app has been developed through a pioneering partnership between Cambridge-based Excalibur and听Sensyne听Health plc, the Oxford-based clinical AI company.听
A combination of Excalibur鈥檚 advanced COVID-19 testing systems and听Sensyne鈥檚听pioneering algorithm听MagnifEye听technology has created the digital solution.听听
Excalibur鈥檚 COVID-19 rapid test was developed in its own Cambridge laboratory and then rigorously tested by leading university research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and international hospital groups. It has been validated in over 12,000 symptomatic and asymptomatic samples and settings and exceeds the Department of Health and Social Care鈥檚 acceptable criteria.听听
The test is also registered with the UK regulator MHRA, and is one of the fastest, most accurate and reliable tests on the market.听
Professor Sir Chris Evans, chairman and CEO of Excalibur Healthcare Services, said: 鈥淭he Test听To听Go App is one of a kind 鈥� and an excellent example of British partnership and innovation.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very exciting development and can play an important part in helping businesses and their employees get back to normal.听听
鈥淧eople can go to their offices or get on a train or a plane knowing exactly their COVID-19 status. We think this will also be an invaluable tool in the entertainment sector.听
鈥淓very effort needs to be made to ensure that infection rates are kept under control. Taking a reliable test and creating a credible digital record of the result will be extremely useful in doing this and it is important that test results are submitted to the national database.听听
鈥淎s an independent company, we have committed to doing this and will are looking to collaborate with other test manufacturers to develop this further.鈥�听
CoronavirusCOVID-19