A: It’s true that new device was recently approved…but it’s not designed for home use.
This week the FDA gave emergency use authorization (EUA) to a new COVID-19 testing device that detects chemical compounds associated with the coronavirus in exhaled breath.
The test had good sensitivity and specificity, accurately detecting 91.2% of positive samples 99.3% of negative samples.
When this Nerdy Girl heard this headline, I pictured a small handheld device that would allow us to quickly puff and test before leaving the house—but alas not yet.
The device is about the size of a carry-on piece of luggage (see photo) and meant to be used in doctor’s offices, hospitals, or mobile test sites. Results are available in 3 minutes, and each device can provide up to 160 tests a day.
The company, InspectIR Systems, also said it is not releasing the price of the machine or when it will be available. 
So… good news that even more testing technologies are coming online, which could even be applied to other infections and help us manage surges or new outbreaks in the future.
But for now, we’ll have to wait on the dream of an easy COVID breath test at home. 😮💨
