A mask-based diagnostic platform for point-of-care screening of Covid-19.

Diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 infection using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal swabs is now well-established, with saliva-based testing being lately more widely implemented for being more adapted for self-testing approaches. In this study, we introduce a different concept based on exhaled breath condensate (EBC), readily collected by a mask-based sampling device, and detection with an electrochemical biosensor with a modular architecture that enables fast and specific detection and quantification of COVID-19. The face mask forms an exhaled breath vapor containment volume to hold the exhaled breath vapor in proximity to the EBC collector to enable a condensate-forming surface, cooled by a thermal mass, to coalesce the exhaled breath into a 200-500 μL fluid sample in 2 min.