New on-the-spot tests that take just an hour to confirm Covid-19 will help kids return to school and air travel

NEW on-the-spot tests that take just an hour to confirm Covid-19 will help the return to school and air travel.

Scientists say the ground-breaking, Brit-made checks are the best in the world.

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Millions will be rolled out to help NHS bosses halt local outbreaks.

Experts say the kits can be used anywhere — allowing rapid screening of care homes, offices and airports.

The new on-the-spot tests analyse nose swabs and can magnify any active virus particle.

There is no need for a fixed lab or medics, and they can return results in 60 to 90 minutes.

Around 450,000 of the LamPORE swabs, supplied by Oxford Nanopore, will be available across care homes and more hospitals from next week.

Another UK-made rapid Covid test, in use at eight London hospitals, is also being rolled out.

In total, more than eight million checks will be available to NHS Test and Trace over the next year.

Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, said of LamPORE: “It’s the best of its kind anywhere in the world.

“It can be distributed, is relatively fast and doesn’t cost the earth.

“It will be a real step forward if deployed properly.

“Let’s say 1,000 kids in a school — you could test them in a day.”

Airports could also check Brits before they depart and prevent them from boarding if infected.

Returning travellers could be screened on landing and advised to isolate if they test positive.

Meanwhile, new data has revealed people in Cardiff wait the longest for test results — an average of 45 hours.

That is almost 1½ days more than the shortest wait, in Milton Keynes (average 11 hours).

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