U.S. FDA authorizes new COVID-19 pool testing

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — The U.S. Food Drug Administration has now authorized COVID-19 pool testing.

This move will allow multiple people to be tested at once. The agency announced an emergency use authorization for quest diagnostics on Saturday. The company can test up to four individuals at once for the coronavirus.

The FDA Commissioner said sample pooling is an important step that helps get COVID-19 tests to more Americans more quickly while still preserving testing supplies.

This is the first COVID-19 diagnostic test in the U.S. to be authorized for use with pooled samples.