As Canadians struggle with excessively long wait times for high-demand Covid-19 tests, officials released a new coronavirus test for school children that gets rid of the invasive nasal swab and instead asks kids to gargle and spit.
The new tests, which the British Columbia Center for Disease Control says is just as accurate as the more common nasal swab tests, doesn’t have to be administered by a health professional, though they are still processed in a lab.
Children gargle a small amount of saline solution for 30 seconds, which sweeps up tissue that may hold virus particles, then spit into a tube, making it easy for children to be tested as schools begin to reopen.
A recent Centers For Disease Control and Prevention report said children with mild or even no symptoms could spread the virus.
Testing sites in Canada have been overwhelmed in recent weeks, with some reporting 6-hour-long wait times and others turning people away, in part because classes across the country are restarting.
Watch: COVID-19 test with a mouth rinse and gargle sample for school-aged children
Practice the swish, gargle and spit technique with water at home before going to the collection centre. Wait at least two hours between practicing and doing the test as practicing could affect test results. Ask your child not to swallow the water or talk when they practice.
Watch: COVID-19 test with a nose swab
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When you go for the test
You and your child should both wear masks. Children under two years old do not need to wear a mask.
Make sure to have your child’s date of birth and their Personal Health Number if they have one.
Your child should not eat, drink (even water), chew gum, brush teeth, vape or smoke for at least one hour before the mouth rinse and gargle test. They should not practice the swish, gargle and spit method two hours before the test. This might affect the amount of virus that is in their mouth, which can affect the results of the test.
Self-isolate
Your child will need to self-isolate after their test. This means you should go directly home after their test. Your child should stay home from school and not see visitors. Learn more about self-isolating after a test.
CONCLUSION
The benefits of gargle and spit COVID-19 test
As the coronavirus cases continue to rise at an unprecedented rate, testing sites are beginning to get overwhelmed. Hence, the simplified spit test can help in reducing the burden from the testing facilities and help in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus as schools slowly begin to reopen.
One of the biggest benefits of gargle and spit methods is that test can be conducted without a clinical expert or a health professional, owing to its simplified nature.
