Air monitor can identify Covid-19 virus in five minutes

Scientists are investigating techniques to monitor indoor environment in real time for viruses now that the Covid-19 pandemic’s emergency phase is over. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a real-time monitor that can identify any SARS-CoV-2 virus variant in a room in roughly 5 minutes by fusing recent advancements in aerosol sampling technology with an ultrasensitive biosensing method. The inexpensive, proof-of-concept device could be used in hospitals and health care facilities, schools and public places to help detect CoV-2 and potentially monitor for other respiratory virus aerosols, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Results of their work on the monitor, which they say is the most sensitive detector available, are published July 10 in Nature Communications.