Given that the pandemic got many people accustomed to frequent diagnostic tests and scientific terminology, it may have paved the way for a revolution in healthcare, argues Chris Molloy, CEO of Lighthouse Lab, a throughput laboratory based in the U.K. in an April 17 Guardian article.
The increased familiarity with using swabs and getting tested regularly could open up a whole new era in which people can get diagnosed and manage their risk for a range of conditions.
"The population has been schooled in ordering a test online, getting it through the post, doing it in the home, popping it back in the post, getting a result on their phone, and most importantly changing their behavior as a result," said Mr. Molloy to the Guardian.
He also argued that increased lab capacity and better diagnostics can help people identify and manage chronic diseases before they get worse. Comorbidities, cancer risks and aging can all be tackled with the same sense of purpose for public health created by COVID-19.
"The populace can engage in their own health and use smart diagnostics in the home or the high street to start to understand their own health at a time when you actually may be able to do something to steer away from long-term disease, rather than just treat it," he said.