Sona Nanotech has signed a binding licensing agreement with in-vitro diagnostics developer Arlington Scientific to market the former’s quick saliva Covid-19 test. According to the deal, Sona will license the intellectual property for its rapid saliva Covid-19 test to Arlington. Arlington will seek an Emergency Use Authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration for usage at the point-of-care as well as for at-home settings. Arlington can produce and supply the test in the US on obtaining approval. In lab studies, the test demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 93% and 100%, respectively.

Japan has plans to offer free Covid-19 tests to people showing no symptoms of SARS-Cov-2 infection. The move is anticipated to protect the country from another potential Covid-19 wave. To date, Covid-19 tests are offered free to individuals experiencing virus-associated symptoms and those exposed to infection. Testing centres will be chosen by prefectural governments. Covid-19 has claimed over 18,000 lives in the country so far.

Several mayors from both sides of the US-Canada border have held discussions to urge the Canadian federal government to scrap the expensive Covid-19 test mandate for fully vaccinated travellers, CBC has reported. Following 19 months of closure, the US has now reopened the land border for fully inoculated tourists. Border-town mayors noted that vaccinated people who enter Canada are required to provide negative results from an expensive molecular test.