In the time of the virus, it is as important as ever to remain calm and practice preventative measures. At the time of writing, WHO characterized COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) as a pandemic and has infected over 120,000 people with over 4,000 casualties. With that said, over 66,000 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have recovered. Since SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) has spread worldwide with no indication of slowing down, developing a rapid and reliable test to detect the virus has been our focus at Biomeme. Within 2 weeks, lead biologist at Biomeme, Jesse vanWestrienen, developed a coronavirus test that is available now with no minimum order quantity.
What Makes Biomeme’s SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips Different?
SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips detect the RNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), also known as "2019-nCoV" or "Wuhan coronavirus." Two RNA targets for the novel coronavirus are multiplexed together with Biomeme's process control assay for RNA extraction and RT-PCR (MS2).
Assay Targets:
- SARS-CoV-2-Orf1ab gene
- SARS-CoV-2-Spike gene
- RNA Process Control (RNA extraction and RT-PCR control utilizing MS2 bacteriophage)
Each order contains 10 individually packaged Go-Strips (30 reactions to test 30 samples) and quantified RNA Process Control pellets (quantified MS2). The components are shelf-stable (15-30C).
When used with the full Biomeme qPCR platform, 9 samples can be extracted and tested in less than one hour on our Franklin™ Thermocycler.
Do you have any SARS-CoV-2 tests available with a higher through-put?
Yes!
Biomeme’s assay is produced in a pre-aliquoted, shelf-stable lyophilized 96-well “Go-Plate” form factor and includes an exogenous control for RNA extraction and RT-PCR. Biomeme Go-Plates are an ideal solution to rapidly deploy SARS-CoV-2 testing capabilities across the country’s network of CLIA High Complexity Labs while maintaining quality and performance.
Each shelf-stable Biomeme SARS-CoV-2 Go-Plate has 96 reaction wells and is compatible for use on ABI thermocyclers utilizing the company’s “fast” 96-well block (e.g., Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx or QuantStudio Dx thermocycler) and the Bio-Rad CFX96. Shelf-stable with other Biomeme RNA assays demonstrating stability for eighteen months from manufacture under dry, room temperature (15-30℃) conditions if unopened. This lyophilized triplex adds both confidence and versatility to the detection of 2019-nCov.
The addition of the exogenous RNA extraction positive control provides for greater confidence in the results of the test. It can be spiked in prior to the sample preparation or afterwards to the purified nucleic acid. This durability and versatility adds significant value in the effort to combat the emerging 2019-nCov pandemic. In the Go-Plate 96-well form factor, these lyophilized reagents will be fully compatible with FDA approved thermocyclers such as the Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx.
These Go-Plates, in turn, could also be cut down to 3-well Go-Strips for future expanded use in our mobile, battery-powered, point-of-need Biomeme Franklin™ three9 Real-Time PCR and our entire end-to-end system for field-ready sample preparation, PCR, and data analysis.
What are COVID-19’s Symptoms?
If you have been exposed to COVID-19 by coming into contact with someone with the virus, have recently traveled to an area where there is widespread infection, or you start experiencing the below symptoms 2-14 days after exposure, then the CDC recommends that you stay home unless you are getting medical care.
COVID-19 Symptoms:
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Fever
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Cough
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Shortness of breath
In addition to staying home, you should separate yourself from other members in your household, wear a face mask if you are sick (face masks are NOT necessary if you are not sick), clean your hands frequently, and closely monitor your symptoms.
Some COVID-19 symptoms are similar to symptoms of influenza (the flu), but if you experience a sudden onset of the below symptoms, you may have the flu.
Flu Symptoms:
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Fever
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Cough
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Sore throat
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Headaches
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Fatigue
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Muscle or body aches
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Runny/stuffy nose
One of the biggest distinctions between COVID-19 and the flu is that a flu vaccination is currently available. You can find vaccination clinics in your area on the CDC website here.
How Can I Prevent Getting Infected by SARS-CoV-2?
Since a vaccination has not been developed for SARS-CoV-2 yet, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to spread from person-to-person. It can be transmitted between people who are in close contact with each other (within 6 feet), through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or by touching an infected surface then touching one's face.
The best preventative measures include washing your hands often with soap and water or with hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, and avoid close contact with people. Many people have been purchasing and wearing face masks to avoid exposure to coronavirus, however, to avoid a global shortage of face masks, they should only be worn by those infected with coronavirus and medical professionals.
COVID-19 will continue to spread throughout the world and to the United States, so Biomeme is working hard to provide reliable and convenient tests to detect SARS-CoV-2. You can purchase Biomeme’s SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips now.
Have questions? Feel free to reach out at biomeme@biomeme.com.
