Vatic, a Bio-Security Company, Launches App that Tests COVID-19 in Just 15 Minutes

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 09 July 2021, 06:07 pm

Vatic, a bio-security company, has developed a more accessible COVID-19 test kit. The company claims that it is more accurate than the traditional lateral flow tests.

Vatic also stated that its COVID-19 test is faster and easier to do. It also allows test data sharing, and it produces a unique QR code to give the user access to services or workplaces.

Vatic's COVID-19 App

The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, and the transmission is increasing due to the new Delta variant. As vaccinations ramp up worldwide, the health services are overwhelmed with administering shots and tending to COVID-19 patients.

Also, the track and trace systems that hospitals and clinics do after each COVID-19 test have disrupted many businesses as staff is required to self-isolate for days. This is why biosecurity in the workplace is going to matter a lot.

Also Read: COVID-19 Virus Can Literally Catch up; Research Says 'Slow Walkers' May be Infected More

A faster and better form of COVID-19 testing is needed for more efficient and effective biosecurity in the workplace. Now, Vatic, a United Kingdom startup company, has claimed to crack the problem.

The COVID-19 test is called KnowNow, a rapid antigen test that only requires the saliva of the user. It is currently being used in the United Kingdom after it was approved this year, according to TechCrunch.

KnowNow has an app as well. The test results are automatically downloaded to the system. It then generates a QR code to serve as your "COVID-19 Passport" to prove that you are COVID-19 negative.

The saliva self-swabbing technique is much easier to do and more comfortable than the lateral flow tests that require swabbing the back of your throat and your nasal passages.

Vatic claims that the test only takes 15 minutes, and it can identify those who are infected, and the chances of having a false-positive test is very low. Other antigen tests reported having a false positive rate of 1 in 200.

The company says its test identifies infectious viruses by mimicking the surface of a human cell, thus redesigning how lateral flow tests are created and enhancing their accuracy, according to Sky News.

Vatic claims that its technology actively looks for the measure of the virus in the body so it can deliver an accurate result. The company also claims that KnowNow is immune to any potential mutations of the virus.

Clinical Trials are Ongoing

Vatic has raised $6.37 million to deliver its at-home tests, including the one for COVID-19. According to MedTech News, the funding round was led by LocalGlobe and Hoxton Ventures, both of which are based in London.

Vatic is also now doing clinical trials in the United States to secure Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA.

Alex Sheppard, the co-founder and CEO of Vatic, said that the reason for the recent decline of COVID-19 tests is the sampling technique.

People find the test uncomfortable and difficult, which is why the company decided to create a test kit that can take the pain out of COVID-119 testing.

With tests that are more comfortable to conduct, more people will be willing to get tested. It can help minimize the disruption caused by future COVID-19 outbreaks. The new test can also generate a unique QR code so that users can enter venues and travel safely.