COVID-19 Saliva Test Could Drastically Cut Result Wait Times
Long lines for COVID-19 testing and even longer wait times for results have been an issue during the coronavirus pandemic, but a new COVID-19 saliva test could help alleviate these issues.
A new saliva test has been developed by Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, and as demonstrated below, the test is administered by spitting into a tube through a straw to collect the saliva sample for testing.
ASU website states, “Saliva tests are minimally invasive, making it easier to gather samples from participants. In addition, research shows that saliva tests are just as sensitive as nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs for detecting SARS-CoV-2 infections. One study suggests that saliva tests may offer even greater sensitivity.”
The website also states, “Currently, turnaround time is approximately 24-48 hours from receipt of samples…The saliva test uses the same diagnostic qPCR assay as the NP swab test and is essentially 100% accurate if there is any detectable amount of virus present in the sample.”
As of publishing, it is not known if and when these saliva tests will be rolled out, but these findings are certainly promising as the world continues to battle COVID-19.
