A simple saliva swab from inside the mouth may actually be more reliable in COVID-19 tests than the often uncomfortable deep nasal swabs currently in wider practice, a new study finds.
can be an unpleasant affair, with a doctor or nurse shoving a cotton swab deep into your nasal cavity to get a good sample.
For instance, saliva samples detected the coronavirus in two health care workers without symptoms who'd previously been cleared by a deep nasal swab, the Yale researchers said. "There wouldn't be a shortage of things to collect the saliva sample in, because there are so many options that are possible," Wyllie said, adding that any collection cup or container could be reused after it's been disinfected.
"Taking the swab itself can cause patients to sneeze or cough, which carries a lot of risk to the health care workers," Wyllie said.Saliva tests also could be easily adapted for rapid home testing, Wyllie added, noting that most people would be hard-pressed to shove a swab deep enough into their own noses to get a good sample.The U.S.
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