Detecting and Excluding Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at the Point of Need

A single, low-cost rapid test could tell someone within minutes whether they have COVID-19, without needing a laboratory. This matters because at the start of the pandemic, the only reliable way to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus was through PCR tests, which require expensive equipment, trained staff, and hours to process. Many low-income countries lacked that laboratory capacity entirely. The World Health Organization identified rapid diagnostics as a critical unmet need, especially before vaccines or antiviral drugs became available. Without a fast, deployable test, infected people could unknowingly spread the virus while waiting for results, and clinics had no way to quickly rule out COVID-19 in patients with similar symptoms. If the research succeeds, the result is a paper-strip test—similar to a pregnancy test—that can be manufactured cheaply by multiple partners and distributed widely. For Gavi-eligible countries most vulnerable to onward transmission, this would mean detecting cases at the point of care, in community clinics or remote health posts, without a central lab. It would allow health workers to isolate patients immediately and slow the chain of infection. The technology is designed for mass production with quality-assured partners, so supply can meet global demand.