The Omicron variant can survive longer than earlier versions of the coronavirus on plastic surfaces and human skin, Japanese researchers found in laboratory tests. Additionally, new research shows users of rapid antigen tests to detect COVID-19 should swab their nostrils as directed by the manufacturer and not swab the throat or cheek instead.
A unit of Abbott Laboratories is recalling two Covid-19 laboratory test kits as they can potentially issue false positive results, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Oct. 14.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new template for clinical test developers that is designed to assist these companies in developing and submitting emergency use authorization (EUA) for Covid-19 tests that can be performed at home or in other settings besides laboratories.
In a controlled laboratory test, Eagle Pharmaceuticals’ malignant hyperthermia treatment Ryanodex (dantrolene sodium) inhibited the growth of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The company hopes to launch a clinical trial testing the efficacy of the drug in patients.
A drug used to treat head lice in humans and parasites in animals demonstrated efficacy against COVID-19 in laboratory tests, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is already warning people to not attempt to self-medicate with the drug to treat the novel coronavirus.
