ID Now

We currently use the ID Now for Flu, RSV and Strep.  We are expecting a shipment of a few of the COVID19 kits.  I was told Abbott is sending us a new analyzer with the software for COVID 19 already installed, since they aren't sending upgrades/flashdrives to upgrade your current ID Now analyzer, not sure how true this is? Can you do some kind of abbreviated or shortened validation for the COVID 19, since we have very few positive COVID19 patients and  we will have a limited number of kits?  

Thanks

Rosemary

Now that the Abbott ID has been field tested a little. What do people think of this instrument for testing Covid in a POC setting? Abbott has contacted us saying they have devices available.

Disclosure, our instrument is located in our lab not at the POC. We use it at one of our facilities and only for ED patients. We recently experienced some issues with the negative control giving us invalid results. This is our first experience with the instrument and it is easy enough to use but does take time. We looked into ordering more instruments for all of our labs but we're being told that the supplies aren't for sale by Abbott yet just the instruments.

Hi

I'm not sure this is helpful but it can't hurt.

On the negative swab 'invalids', we were told when we put out 90 instruments in outpatient clinics back in the fall that 'invalids' most always is technique by the operator. OR for negative swabs, it's most likely contamination of the environment.

However, at one point a tech support technician told me how to clean inside the orange and blue 'cups' down where the sensors are. It seemed to help a couple of issues - and one of them was getting 'invalid' on negative control swabs. Please note this was for flu and strep - not COVID.

 I'm not Abbott tech support but you may want to call and ask about this 'extra' cleaning.

Thanks for the info Peggy! We did reach out to Abbott for instructions. I will make sure we note it in our procedure too.

We also use the Abbott ID Now in the lab not POCT (although the clinics and urgent cares want to run them).  In addition, we are confirming by PCR all negatives from ID Now.  Double swab collections (dry swab and transport media). And there are some rather cumbersome reporting back to the FDA and state health department which is required. ID Now is being used to test EDTC patients.

Hi Reine,

You confirm all negatives? Are there issues with ID Now's Covid testing performance?

Hi, yes molecular is confirming all negatives.  There has been studies published that shows ID Now has a pretty high rate of false negatives. We have been running the ID Now for just a few weeks and I'm sure our molecular department is keeping tabs on the false negatives (if there are any) in our own situation.  But I do not know what our data looks like.

https://www.medtechdive.com/news/coronavirus-fda-alert-abbott-idnow-test-false-negatives/578024/

https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/15/fda-says-abbotts-5-minute-covid-19-test-may-miss-infected-patients/

I think there is a directive from Abbott, that states that confirmation of negatives needs to be performed if it does not match patient signs and symptoms.

Is anyone doing POC COVID testing without a hood? I have been asked to place 2 ID NOW analyzers in our ED.  I called Abbott and they did not state that a hood was needed, they said staff should follow standard safety measures. They would be wearing mask, face shield, gloves and gown and testing in a room where we do other POC testing.

What is everyone doing??

Thanks

Kim

We received 2 ID NOW analyzers for COVID Testing from our state health dept.

We purchased 2 Dead Air Boxes (DAB) because we will be deploying them into our ED and COVID Clinic. 2 areas without hoods.

On 6/1/20, the FDA issued an amendment for negative results to include that all "negative results should be treated as presumptive and, if inconsistent with clinical signs and symptoms or necessary for patient management, should be tested with different authorized or cleared molecular tests."

Thanks,

Megan

We just went live with COVID-19 testing on the IDNOW at our FURI Urgent Care sites and will also be implementing COVID-19, flu, and strep testing using the IDNOW at our pediatric sites soon.

We chose the NP specimen to be the standard specimen collection process since we are performing both POC Abbott and sending out for PCR confirmation on symptomatic patients that receive a negative Abbott result.  Any asymptomatic patients getting tested we call the Abbott result the final result and not sending out.

There is a potential for splashing when mixing the sample in the sample receiver if staff does not mix gently.  However, the combination of heat and acidic solution causes the viral membrane to break down meaning the virus is no longer viable and therefore the risk of transmission is very low. We are still requiring staff to wear full PPE including: gloves, gown, mask, and goggles/face shield when performing the test, which is the same PPE that they are required to wear when collecting the NP swab. 

Hope this helps :)

Raychel

Raychel,

Which mask N95 or surgical? since the same one is used for collection and for the performance/testing.

Thanks for your info. Appreciate it.

To those who are using dead air boxes for covid testing, what brands do you have? Where did you buy them?

Thanks in advance.

Sent via Groupsite Mobile.

To those who are using dead air boxes for covid testing, what brands do you have? Where did you buy them?

Thanks in advance.

Sent via Groupsite Mobile.

We order our Dead Air Boxes through AirClean

Easy solution for containing any aerosols and preventing contamination with RNA prepwork.