Dining again at your favorite restaurant with friends and family.

Attending a surprise birthday party for your best friend.

Getting on that flight for your first vacation in a year.

Glimmers of hope and normalcy are on the horizon and the world community is beginning to share a sense of confidence in a brighter future. It's happening at a different pace in different locations, but it is happening.

Important steps are being taken, one after the next, like Abbott receiving CE Mark for our Panbio COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Test. CE Mark enables us to offer Panbio throughout the European Union quickly rather, in some cases, than waiting for separate country authorizations. This is especially important in a battle where time and accuracy are key components.

Restoring Peace of Mind
The road back to normal will require frequent testing and practice of preventative measures. Regular screening at work, school, home and public events remain a critical first line of defense in the battle against COVID-19, making it possible for people to know their infection status when it matters most.

Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test is for use in the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in adults and children with or without symptoms. It's easy to use and provides fast, reliable results in as little as 15 minutes. Kids ages 14 and younger should be supported by an adult in administering the test.

The test, scientifically identical to Abbott's professional use test, is built with proven Abbott lateral flow technology to support reliable results. In clinical evaluations, the test correctly identified 95.2% of positive samples and 100% of negative samples when conducted by self-test users themselves. This level of accuracy helps to increase confidence and a sense of safety as people return to a pre-COVID world.

In Europe — and around the world — vaccines, frequent testing and healthy habits are key to sustainable reopening of local economies, students returning to school, and tourists enjoying vacation spots once again.

Panbio's World Tour
Abbott has shipped more than 300 million Panbio COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Tests for professional use across Europe, the Americas and Asia to identify and curb the spread of infection. Many governments and businesses are already using the professional test to implement safer return programs, facilitate travel and open recreational events, providing a greater peace of mind for all.

Europe has certainly seen the impact of these efforts with a wide array of students — from kindergartners in Bavaria to university students in France — currently using the Self-Tests as part of national and regional screening programs.

But the successes are not limited to the EU:

• In India, self tests are rolling out across the country of 1.3 billion people where they can be found in rural and urban districts, making testing more accessible to people of all walks of life.
• An airport in Luanda, Angola, is using Panbio to screen passengers before they fly out of the country and upon their return.
• In Malawi and Bahrain, tests are used to help children return to school.
• In South Africa, many organizations are testing employees to ensure a safe return to work, while others are using Panbio to facilitate popular sporting events like the South African Professional Golf Tour and cricket matches.
• In the Philippines, employers — including a water bottling plant — are using Panbio Antigen Nasal tests to screen employees.

As more countries move along the path toward normalcy, the fight against COVID-19 won't be won with a singular hygiene regimen or test. Ground will be gained by continuing to practice healthy habits and increase testing at scale until vaccines are more widely available and used.

And the rewards of working together and embracing the journey will be worth it:

Meeting a new grandchild.

Attending a graduation.

The simple, sublime joy of hugging every single person at the family reunion.

The world awaits.

The Panbio Self-Test is not available in the U.S. where Abbott manufactures and sells the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Card which is also authorized for over-the-counter usage and available at major national pharmacies, grocery chains and retailers.