|
 "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."
The tests do not use the standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
method, which experts say can miss cases because of errors in
collecting samples from the back of the throat using a long
nasopharyngeal swab.
Instead a different technique, called RT-Lamp, is used in the
trial's saliva test, which the government said had already be shown
to be highly promising.
The pilot programme will involve further validation of the technique
against PCR nasal swabs, it said.
More than 14,000 doctors and health workers, other essential workers
and university staff and their households in the city of Southampton
will participate in the trial, which uses a test developed by
British firm Optigene, the government said.
Rather than taking a swab, which some people find uncomfortable,
participants will spit into a pot. Test results will be received
within 48 hours, the government said.
[to top of second column] |
The pilot will be jointly led by Southampton City Council, the University of
Southampton, and the state-run health service, alongside a wider network of
public services in Hampshire.
Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of at-home
saliva tests to detect the virus in the United States.
The British government said it was also exploring the potential of other no-swab
saliva based coronavirus tests with companies including Chronomics, Avacta <AVTG.L>,
MAP Science and Oxford Nanoimaging (ONI).
It said it was also working with suppliers including DNA Genotek, International
Scientific Supplies Ltd, Isohelix and other leading manufacturers, to develop
bespoke saliva collection kits and scale up manufacturing for products that can
be used with existing PCR tests.
The pilot will run for up to four weeks, testing people on a weekly basis, the
government said, resulting in a total of 33,000 – 40,000 tests in the programme.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Estelle Shirbon and Alex Richardson)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
