The US Food and Drug Administration has reported positive results from a clinical investigation of synthetic swaps that might be used at the front of the nose to test for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the general population. The swabs have been tested by a collaboration that includes the FDA; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the insurer UnitedHealth Group; and the contract research organisation Quantigen LLC. The diagnostic is a polyester-based swab developed by US Cotton, which manufactures cotton swabs.
