Biden administration invests in at-home Covid-19 test that gives results in 15 minutes

The test works with a smart phone app that can connect users to an online doctor consultation if they test positive

Credit: Ellume 

The White House announced on Monday that it is buying 8.5 million coronavirus tests that can be taken at home without a prescription and produce results in as little as 15 minutes.

The tests by Australian manufacturer Ellume were the first over the counter, rapid home test kits to be approved by US regulators.

US health officials announced yesterday that the government had awarded a contract worth $231.8 million in order for the company to massively scale up its production and create a manufacturing facility in America.

The test, which uses a nasal swab and can be purchased without a prescription, can be performed at home with results reported via smartphone app within 15 minutes.

White House officials said it detects Covid-19 with 95 percent accuracy.

The White House’s coronavirus task force hopes the mass availability of rapid tests will allow more people to safely return to work and school.

One of its advisers, Andy Slavitt, said Ellume would begin shipping 100,000 test kits per month to the United States from now until the end of July.

The new contract with Ellume USA LLC would allow it to scale up manufacturing and produce more than 19 million test kits per month by the end of the year, 8.5 million of which would be guaranteed to the US government.

The announcement came shortly before Joe Biden, the US president, was due to meet with 10 moderate Republican senators to discuss their proposals for a coronavirus relief package in a key first test for his promise to reach across the aisle.

Mr Biden and other senior Democrats have pushed for Congress to pass a sweeping $1.9 trillion spending bill, arguing a major cash injection is required to provide financial relief for the Americans hit hardest by the pandemic.

But the group of Republicans have proposed a much smaller figure, arguing a $618 billion package would be more appropriate.

The White House promised the Republican senators "a full exchange of views," calling their proposal a good-faith effort.