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Boots Reveals COVID-19 Test With Results in 12 Minutes

Boots Reveals New COVID-19 Test With Results in 12 Minutes

A coronavirus testing swab for staff from Legal and General being tested ahead of returning to their Head Office in London. (Photo by Victoria Jones/PA Images via Getty Images)
Boots have just announced a brand-new coronavirus test that promises to provide results within 12 minutes. The test, costing a total of £120, will be available in selected Boots stores across the UK from November. Taken using a nasal swab, the test will be available to customers in the UK who are currently not showing any symptoms. As always, those showing symptoms have been advised by the NHS to stay at home and book a test via its online service.

The tests, developed by a company called LumiraDx, will begin to analyse the nasal swabs taken instantly, via a portable machine. Results will then be delivered within 12 minutes, and whilst majority of the tests will be accurate enough to spot cases, they are still not 100 percent reliable.

Managing Director of Boots UK, Seb James, told The Guardian "We hope that by offering this testing option in local community stores, Boots can help ease pressure on the NHS and the government by providing additional access to testing and crucial reassurances for people across the UK."

The service will launch in November across a total of 50 Boots stores in the UK, with the full list of stores yet to be announced.

For those testing positive, a 14-day isolation period will be required to avoid spreading the virus. The service seeks to provide peace of mind for customers and seriously shortens the amount of time it takes to receive results. Prior to this, Boots has also revealed a 48-hour testing service, available as a preflight test for those travelling. The 48-hour test is available in 10 stores across London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Along with Boots, the NHS are also investigating the concept of "rapid" tests, with their latest trial generating results within 90 minutes.

With the continual rise and rise of COVID-19 cases in the UK, it's clear that quicker results and more accessible tests are key for controlling the ongoing spread of the virus.

POPSUGAR aims to give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about the coronavirus, but details and recommendations about this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, please check out resources from the WHO, the NHS, and GOV.UK.

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