Siemens Healthineers COVID Test Gets Additional Sampling Method Clearance

Siemens Healthineers has received an additional CE mark certification for its CLINITEST rapid COVID-19 antigen test, allowing its use with anterior nose-swab samples.

The cassette-based test is used in point-of-care settings, delivering results in 15 minutes without the need for lab instruments or specialized personnel. Following sample collection, the swab is inserted into a tube to absorb a test liquid and then placed on the test cartridge that indicates if the sample is positive or negative.

The test was first granted the CE mark in October 2020 for use with nasopharyngeal swabs. Anterior nose swabs are inserted less than three quarters of an inch into the nostrils, making sampling much easier for healthcare workers and less uncomfortable for test subjects.