U.K- adopt Covid-19 testing using-Dogs

Trials are to take place in Britain to see if specially trained dogs will be able to detect the coronavirus in humans before symptoms occur.

As part of the research, so called "COVID Dogs"—a mixture of labradors and cocker spaniels—will be used to see if they can detect the virus through scent alone. The dogs will be trained to detect the virus through odor samples collected from people diagnosed with the disease.

The research, backed by £500,000 ($605,000) from the British government, will be conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Durham University and the charity Medical Detection Dogs.

U.K- adopt Covid-19 testing using-Dogs

Medical Detection Dogs said that specially trained bio detection dogs, which have already been found to detect diseases and conditions such as cancer and malaria, could screen up to 250 people in an hour.

Researchers say the dogs are adept at detecting the odor of diseases at the same dilution of 1 teaspoon of sugar in two Olympic-sized swimming pools of water.

The lead researcher for the work and Head of the Department of Disease Control, Professor James Logan, at the London School of Hygiene and medicine , said: "Our previous work has shown that malaria has a distinctive odor, and with Medical Detection Dogs, we successfully trained dogs to accurately detect malaria.

U.K- adopt Covid-19 testing using-Dogs

"This in combination with the assertion that respiratory diseases can alter body odour, gives us the hope that dogs can also detect COVID-19."

The co-founder and CEO of Medical Detection Dogs, Dr. Claire Guest said: "We are hopeful that our dogs are going to be ready to find the odor of COVID-19 and that we will then move into a second phase to check them in live situations, following which we hope to figure with other agencies to coach more dogs for deployment.

"We are overwhelmed that the nose of a dog could at least assist in saving many lives."

The 'COVID Dogs' will be given intensive training to spot the coronavirus before symptoms appear.

U.K- adopt Covid-19 testing using-Dogs

MEDICAL DETECTION DOGS


The dogs will only be deployed if there is enough scientific evidence to say they could help combat the spread of the coronavirus. The trial's are part of the British government's approach to "explore all possible options" to tackle the novel coronavirus.

The U.K. has the third highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world with 280,004 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Lord Bethell, Britain's Minister for Innovation said: "The Bio-detection dogs have already detected specific cancers and that we believe this innovation might provide speedy results as a part of our wider testing strategy.

U.K- adopt Covid-19 testing using-Dogs

"Correct analysis is crucial so this trial so as to know whether 'Bio-detection dogs' can be reliable in detecting the virus and prevent it from spreading."


source: https://starryfeed.com/u-k-adopt-covid-19-testing-using-dogs/

That's a very good innovation. Let's hope it works.