Utilizing continuous flow microdevices-based magnetophoresis for COVID-19 diagnosis

Abstract

The contagious disease called COVID-19 is caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Several precautionary and preventive measures are currently implemented, including travel restrictions, health quarantine, and medical care. However, no explicit treatments are available. Thus, a better understanding of the new infectious disease's nature and the contributing virus is required. This article will briefly review the biological structure and mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2, comparing it to other known coronaviruses, and the potential therapeutic approaches currently under investigation, and propose for the first time the utilization of microfluidic devices based magnetophoresis for SARS-CoV-2 detection and point of care diagnostics as a future potential effective method.