A study in England found that specially trained sniffer dogs are more effective than rapid tests at detecting someone with COVID, up to 94% correct in each trial.
So instead of the rapid tests at airports, you might see a happy, shaggy dog.
Apparently, Coronavirus has a ‘distinctive odor’ that medical detection pups can identify — even if the person doesn’t know they are infected.
The lead researcher, Professor James Logan, says that while dogs would not be able to entirely replace PCR tests, they are ‘significantly quicker’ and ‘just as accurate as rapid lateral flow tests.’
He said: ‘The advantage of using this method is being able to detect COVID-19 with incredible speed and good accuracy among large groups of people, even in asymptomatic cases.
‘This really could help us get back to doing the things we love sooner, safely and with less disruption, such as helping to reduce queuing times at border points or sporting events.’
Dogs. Saving lives since the beginning of time.