New COVID-19 Saliva Tests Are Cheaper and Faster Than Nose Swabs. Here’s How They Work

Some universities are using spit tests to screen students for coronavirus. But a wider roll out could transform the diagnosis of COVID-19.

By Leslie Nemo
Aug 19, 2020 8:30 PMNov 3, 2020 4:48 PM
spit test saliva test medical coronavirus covid-19 - shutterstock
(Credit: karenfoleyphotography/Shutterstock)

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What would you rather do? Tilt your head back at just the right angle and hold still so a medical practitioner can probe the absolute depths of your nose, or spit in a tube?

The latter, of course. Filling a vial with saliva is also faster and requires less contact with other people, which is why labs around the world are investigating COVID-19 diagnostic tests that trade swabs for spit. 

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