(Jamaica Gleaner) Entities will be able to conduct COVID-19 testing of high-touch surfaces as well as to check if the virus is present in the air.
Currently, there is no testing of surfaces or air available in Jamaica.
But that will change starting on Monday, July 27, when Technological Solutions Limited (TSL) begins offering a suite of state-of-the-art analyses.
This has been made possible through a freshly inked partnership agreement between TSL and United States-based company Invisible Sentinel/bioMerieux Technology, which saw a buildout of the capability as well as outfitting of the new state-of-the-art St Andrew-based laboratory.
The financial layout of the project comes in at approximately US$800,000.
“We are focusing at the moment on the environment. So, if there’s somebody who is COVID-19 positive in a space and that person may be unaware or asymptomatic, they will leave residue. This test that we now have is so accurate and sensitive that it will identify a single residue on surfaces, unlike other tests that need multiple residue samples to make an assessment if COVID-19 is present on surfaces,” disclosed TSL chairman and chief executive officer, Dr Andre Gordon.
“This is real cutting-edge technology. Most other technologies available need multiple viral particles to discern if contamination is likely,” Gordon continued.
Benjamin Pascal, chief business officer at Invisible Sentinel, said the test will serve as a measure to ensure that sanitation practices are working well.
It will also allow for the screening of areas that came under contact from a person who is COVID-19-positive.
It was outlined that the test has an 80-minute turnaround from start to finish, and in a worst-case scenario, it may take up to 24 hours.
No other Caribbean country has access to the technology.
In the meantime, Gordon said that the plan is ultimately to secure government certification for the private lab to carry out human COVID-19 testing as part of TSL’s offering.
That is, however, some way off into the future.
