Government trials new ‘no-swab’ saliva test for coronavirus
A new “no-swab” coronavirus test using patients’ saliva is set to be piloted in Southampton starting this week, the government has announced.
More than 14,000 GP staff, essential workers and university staff will participate in the first phase of the trial, which they will be able to complete at home using their own saliva, the Department for Health and Social Care announced today.
The tests will then be collected from homes by University of Southampton staff or returned to an agreed location on a weekly basis, and participants will receive test results telling them whether they have coronavirus within 48 hours.
“Saliva testing could potentially make it even easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home, without having to use swabs,” said Health secretary Matt Hancock. “This trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier.”
Details of those who test positive will be shared with the NHS Test and Trace programme, the health department added, and the pilot will run for up to four weeks testing people on a weekly basis.
Government officials said the Department for Health was currently exploring the potential of other no-swab saliva based coronavirus tests with companies including Chronomics, Avacta, MAP Science and Oxford Nanoimaging (ONI).
“We are also working with a number of suppliers… to develop bespoke saliva collection kits and scale up manufacturing for products that can be used with existing tests,” a spokesperson added.
Keith Godfrey, professor of medicine at University of Southampton, said: “The health, social and economic impacts of lockdown cannot be underestimated. Through this initiative we believe we can contribute to safely restoring economic activity within the city and region during national relaxation measures, whilst enabling people to regain their lives, work and education.”
It comes as the government faces mounting criticism over its test and trace measures, after Hancock was forced to U-turn on plans to roll out a contact tracing app this week following months of delays.
On Thursday, the government announced that it was dropping its own app in favour of using Apple/Google technology, which is already in use in countries such as Germany.
But in a further blow to the government’s efforts to launch a coronavirus-tracing app, Apple on Friday told the Times: “We don’t know what they mean by this hybrid model. They haven’t spoken to us about it.”
More than 304,000 people in the UK have now tested positive for coronavirus. The Department of Health yesterday announced a further 43 people died in the UK after contracting Covid-19, taking the total number of deaths to 42,632.