On September 9th, 2020, Albertsons Companies reported they had formed a partnership with Phosphorus Diagnostics to start providing COVID-19 testing kits that could be used at home in various identified markets. They also announced that plans were underway to spread the initiative during September and October and reach the full market in due time.
These test kits, which return results within 72 hours, were experimentally launched in Austin, Boise, and Houston markets, where customers positively embraced them. Dan Salami of GVP Albertsons Cos.’ pharmacy indicated that customers appreciated the ability to take the test in the convenience of their homes. He also noted that the saliva test kit was simple to use as compared to the swab test. Taking the test from home would relieve the stress experienced by health care systems. Albertsons Cos. use testing protocols of a high standard to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results.
Alex Bisignano, the CEO and co-founder of Phosphorus, said that the company was pleased to team up with Albertsons Cos. He noted that the accessibility of testing kits was crucial to the containment of COVID-19. The FDA has given Phosphorus’s saliva tests the Emergency Use Authorization for suppression of the coronavirus.
It is easy for patients to get these kits from the comfort of their homes by visiting scheduletest.com and filling out a questionnaire, which is then evaluated by the nearest pharmacist from Albertsons Cos. Patients are then contacted to arrange delivery or pickup of their kits. Those with symptoms are, however, advised to either send someone else to pick up the test or to opt for delivery.
After collecting the samples, patients send them to the laboratory through the kits’ prepaid shipping envelopes. The outcome of the test is communicated via text or email within an average of 72 hours. Albertsons Cos.’ pharmacists are always available to patients for questions after the patients receive their results. All charges are paid by patients because the company is not billing insurance providers, but the patients can use their receipts to claim reimbursement from their insurance company.
In addition to partnering with Albertsons Cos., Phosphorus has announced that its saliva test kits for COVID-19 are also available on the Citizen app. The app is accessible on Android and iOS and includes SafePass, an ideal feature for home tests. Through Bluetooth, SafePass can establish a person’s positive status, and even where they might have been exposed. It can also help with contact tracing by monitoring whether someone had contact with someone who later tested positive. The app guarantees clients’ privacy by providing an option to opt in and ensuring that personal data is not shared and is destroyed every 30 days.
Phosphorus co-founder and CEO Alex Bisignano says the company is delighted to be partnering with Citizen on the program, which is critical in mapping out new infections at the earliest opportunity and being able to trace their contacts. He adds that the COVID-19 test was developed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus using innovative approaches.
Phosphorus Genomics is headquarters in New York. It has a CLIA and CAP-approved laboratory based in Secaucus, New Jersey. The company is licensed to operate in all 50 states. Recently, the company has re-engineered itself to give more attention to COVID-19 tests using its vast experience and elaborate testing methodologies in genomics to avert the COVID-19 health crisis. Phosphorus provides advanced genomic tests to healthcare professionals and facilities and uses next-generation sequencing technologies (NGS). In line with its mission to improve people’s health, Phosphorus has been exploiting the power of the human genome to develop quality genetic tests that increase access to quality health care.
