Author Topic: COVID Breathalyzer (Read 4714 times)

etech0 · « **on:** May 27, 2020, 12:44:26 PM »

Imagine breath analyzers outside stores, schools, workplaces... and you need to pass the test to enter.

A lot more manageable than long term lockdown!

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:03:55 PM »

Quote from: etech0 on May 27, 2020, 12:44:26 PM

Imagine breath analyzers outside stores, schools, workplaces... and you need to pass the test to enter.

A lot more manageable than long term lockdown!

True, but are there any studies at all that show it working? Seems to be only news reports.

etech0 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:06:14 PM »

Quote from: PlatinumGuy on May 27, 2020, 01:03:55 PM

True, but are there any studies at all that show it working? Seems to be only news reports.

No, that's why I said imagine

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:17:32 PM »

Quote from: etech0 on May 27, 2020, 01:06:14 PM

No, that's why I said imagine

Well, it actually does claim some clinical success

https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientist-invents-one-minute-coronavirus-breath-test-1.8845769

Quote

Sarusi’s device achieved 90 percent accuracy based on a sample of 120 Israelis, of whom 45 percent were infected and 55 percent were healthy, the professor says. Its rate of false positives and false negatives were 5 percent each.

etech0 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:23:31 PM »

Quote from: PlatinumGuy on May 27, 2020, 01:17:32 PM

Well, it actually does claim some clinical success

https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientist-invents-one-minute-coronavirus-breath-test-1.8845769

Interesting! Does it only show positive if the person is contagious? Or is it like the current tests?

Lurker · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:25:37 PM »

Quote from: PlatinumGuy on May 27, 2020, 01:17:32 PM

Well, it actually does claim some clinical success

https://www.haaretz.com/science-and-health/.premium-israeli-scientist-invents-one-minute-coronavirus-breath-test-1.8845769

I'd look at this as 95% accurate in terms of keeping infected people out. That's very impressive.

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:29:28 PM »

Quote from: etech0 on May 27, 2020, 01:23:31 PM

Interesting! Does it only show positive if the person is contagious? Or is it like the current tests?

Very few PFU assays have been conducted globally (they require BSL3 labs), so I very highly doubt they have any idea about that at this point.

Presumably they are measuring accuracy against symptomatic patients with positive PCR tests. Which also makes their claim that their 90% accuracy is higher than the PCR 70-80% accuracy ridicolous, since their 90% is a subset of the 70-80%.

I think the bigger question is if the Infrared and Terahertz resonance spectroscopy would identify the virus during the entire timeline of potential transmissibility, or only during initial and/or peak periods. Either way, it's very useful in at least lowering the need for PCR tests, and thus making those more available.

Mods, can we fork this over to a new thread?

etech0 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:30:42 PM »

Right. You also need to consider the false negative rate if you're using it to determine who is not contagious

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:31:56 PM »

Quote from: etech0 on May 27, 2020, 01:30:42 PM

Right. You also need to consider the false negative rate if you're using it to determine who is not contagious

Yeah but so far the only way to measure it is against PCR tests, hence we don't know the false negative rates of PCR tests.

etech0 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:33:40 PM »

Quote from: PlatinumGuy on May 27, 2020, 01:31:56 PM

Yeah but so far the only way to measure it is against PCR tests, hence we don't know the false negative rates of PCR tests.

right

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #10 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:42:34 PM »

Thanks @Dan

This is the German company partnering with the Israeli doctor on research

https://ramglobal.com/covid-19/

etech0 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:43:44 PM »

Hey I started a thread! Go figure

Joeymc · « **Reply #12 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:50:40 PM »

Imagine what would happen if you failed a test like this outside a store/venue.

Think about the panic and mayhem that would ensue...

PlatinumGuy · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:53:06 PM »

Quote from: Joeymc on May 27, 2020, 01:50:40 PM

Imagine what would happen if you failed a test like this outside a store/venue.

Think about the panic and mayhem that would ensue...

Lol

Interestingly, the company has no public ownership at all. I wonder if it's really Israeli owned.

ETA: The founder is Ayal Ram, an Israeli in Singapore.

etech0 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:56:18 PM »

Quote from: Joeymc on May 27, 2020, 01:50:40 PM

Imagine what would happen if you failed a test like this outside a store/venue.

Think about the panic and mayhem that would ensue...

ouch!

etech0 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 27, 2020, 01:57:04 PM »

Another option is random testing stations around town, that give you a receipt which states that you can safely enter places today. Then you don't need one at every store.

aygart · « **Reply #16 on:** May 27, 2020, 02:57:14 PM »

Quote from: Joeymc on May 27, 2020, 01:50:40 PM

Imagine what would happen if you failed a test like this outside a store/venue.

Think about the panic and mayhem that would ensue...

There are ways around that.

Joeymc · « **Reply #17 on:** May 27, 2020, 07:28:01 PM »

Quote from: aygart on May 27, 2020, 02:57:14 PM

There are ways around that.

Like?

If you get a regular test, first of all you don't get the result on the spot, they call you at home to tell you, and second of all you are in your car, not in public.

I've thought about the same thing by temperature checks, e.g. in foreign airports, not that I would appreciate if I had a temperature and I don't know what they would do with me but even then it doesn't mean I for sure have something contagious, people have high temperature all the time.

Joeymc · « **Reply #18 on:** May 27, 2020, 07:32:36 PM »

Quote from: Joeymc on May 27, 2020, 07:28:01 PM

Like?

If you get a regular test, first of all you don't get the result on the spot, they call you at home to tell you, and second of all you are in your car, not in public.

I've thought about the same thing by temperature checks, e.g. in foreign airports, not that I would appreciate if I had a temperature and I don't know what they would do with me but even then it doesn't mean I for sure have something contagious, people have high temperature all the time.

If something like this breathalyzer test became common and every place had one we would quickly go back to semi normal life and we would do a breath test every place we went until someone tests positive. Suddenly everyone near them would start worrying were they actually keeping a proper distance and were they actually taking proper precautions, ect.

Try to imagine if you were standing in line to go into a shop or to go through security or get on a plane and the person in front of you suddenly beeps red and a guy in hazmat suit comes to escort the person away...

Joeymc · « **Reply #19 on:** May 27, 2020, 07:34:02 PM »

Quote from: Joeymc on May 27, 2020, 07:32:36 PM

If something like this breathalyzer test became common and every place had one we would quickly go back to semi normal life and we would do a breath test every place we went until someone tests positive. Suddenly everyone near them would start worrying were they actually keeping a proper distance and were they actually taking proper precautions, ect.

Try to imagine if you were standing in line to go into a shop or to go through security or get on a plane and the person in front of you suddenly beeps red and a guy in hazmat suit comes to escort the person away...

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a wonderful idea and they should definitely develope it and it would help us tremendously, but just thinking about a different angle