1health, the leading Testing as a Service (TaaS) company, confirmed today that the latest coronavirus strain identified originally in the United Kingdom, but subsequently found in Europe, Canada and now the United States, is uncovered in the company’s self-administered COVID-19 saliva tests.
The B.1.1.7 strain of SARS-CoV-2 is a version of the virus with 23 mutations, eight of which are in the spike protein the virus uses to bind to and enter human cells. According to the World Health Organization, it was first found in England in September, continued to spread and is now the most common variant in England, accounting for more than 50% of new cases diagnosed. While the UK strain appears to spread more quickly, scientists report that it is not proving more deadly.
Prior to the new variant being uncovered in Colorado, 1health worked with its labs to confirm that its saliva-based tests do report the strain.
“As soon as we became aware of this strain, we confirmed with our testing partners that the 1health tests do uncover the mutation and provides a positive result,” stated Mehdi Maghsoodnia, 1health CEO. “The fact that the virus continues to mutate confirms the need for continued testing. As more people get vaccinated, it is imperative that a comprehensive tracking and reporting system is put in place.”
Beyond regular testing and reporting, health experts continue to advise communities to follow safety measures already in place: wash hands frequently, wear masks in public, and practice social distancing.
About 1health
1health is the pioneer in enabling Testing as a Service (TaaS), making diagnostic testing easy and accessible for everyone. Its platform powers engaging health applications for telehealth companies, hospital systems, corporations and government agencies, school systems, and consumer brands, allowing them to easily deploy, manage, and personalize testing at scale. 1health’s cloud-based architecture allows for seamless management and tracing of tests, providing distribution across the country for faster testing, and an easy-to-read dashboard with actionable next steps after testing. 1health keeps more than seven million people healthy and informed through its partners and direct-to-consumer brand, Vitagene, and supports compliance with applicable privacy and security requirements of its partners and their customers. To learn more, go to www.1health.io.
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