Coronavirus Watch: FDA authorizes first COVID breathalyzer test
Tired of testing for COVID-19 with nose swabs?
A new test using a breathalyzer has been approved by the FDA, the organization announced Thursday.
The test, produced by InspectIR Systems, collects a breath sample and analyzes for chemical compounds associated with the coronavirus. It's the first of its kind to be authorized for use.
Read more from reporter Jeanine Santucci here.
It's Thursday, and this is Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network. Here's more news to know:
- Broadway theaters have announced the extension of their mask mandate through the end of May but will soon leave vaccination checks up to theater owners.
- Jamaica has dropped its indoor mask mandate and its pre-departure PCR testing requirement, hoping that easier entry will attract more tourists.
- COVID vaccines were highly effective against infection of the virus initially, but experts say we need to adjust our expectations as the virus changes over time. Read more here.
See our COVID-19 resource guide here. See total reported cases and deaths here. On vaccinations: About 77% of people in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine shot, and about 66% are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.
– Cady Stanton, Paste BN Nation NOW reporter, @cady_stanton