UPDATE - WashU COVID-19 Saliva Test FDA Approved

Early last week, the FDA approved the WashU created COVID-19 saliva test. This test is less invasive than the current nasal swab tests that can be extremely uncomfortable.

The saliva test is also more accurate, more easily available, and less likely to be susceptible to supply chain shortages like current COVID tests are. One of the bigger problems with current testing methods is the availability of reagents and swab kits.

WashU is planning to use this new testing method to screen students and professors as they return to campus this fall. However, the test won’t be made accessible to the public until around one month from now.

Yale and UIUC are two other universities that have also received FDA approval for their own saliva tests.

This rapid development of new testing methods and the innovation of current available tests demonstrates the importance of research in medical advancement.

If you’d like to read more about the differences between the new test and the old one, feel free to check out the other blog posted on this topic at https://www.happyhealthyus.org/post/washington-university-s-new-covid-19-test.

Sources:

https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/coronavirus/fda-authorizes-washington-university-s-new-saliva-based-covid-19-test/article_4da02196-4991-5745-a5f6-09389649565b.html

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/health-science-environment/2020-07-09/fda-approves-new-saliva-based-coronavirus-test-developed-at-wash-u