DOGS AND CORONAVIRUS DETECTION – Belgian scientists at the University of Ghent recently announced that they have managed to train six dogs to detect coronavirus in humans.
According to microbiologist Chris Callewaert for the Flemish public service VRT, dogs detect coronavirus through their sense of smell. The results are more reliable compared to the results of a quick test, in as many as 95 percent of cases, dogs detected an infected person. As Calvert claims, dogs are a great alternative to the corona test because they can test a large number of people quite quickly and conveniently.
The test works by taking swabs from the neck, arms or armpits of people, then taking swabs in containers offered to dogs indoors. Dogs can smell the reaction of the human immune system to the corona virus, which is different from the smell of the reaction to the flu virus. According to the University of Ghent, these dogs can detect several strains of the virus, ie. the British, South African and Brazilian strains of the virus.
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It is not yet known where these trained dogs will be used, or whether the training project of such dogs will be continued in other countries, but their potential applications are great. Such dogs could be used at concerts, airports, schools, universities and other places where a larger number of people can be found and where it is necessary to test a larger number of people in a shorter time, according to Callewaert.
At the moment, dogs can only test samples indoors, but there is a plan to continue their training so that they can do the same among humans.