Today, we’re digging a bit deeper into the announcement of a new, upcoming COVID-19 saliva testing lab in Minnesota… it’s something that officials say will more than double the state’s testing capability and help manage the virus.
According to Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, the new saliva testing lab in Oakdale — expected to begin operations in early October — will provide crucial support as schools reopen. Here she is.
“We absolutely expect to see respiratory illnesses increase as schools resume, that’s a fact of life. And it will be crucial to distinguish them between the common cold and COVID-19,” said Malcolm.
Malcolm says diversifying the state’s testing is an important step forward in the state’s COVID-19 strategy.
“This saliva test reduces the need for swabs and PPE.” said Malcolm.
Another important aspect of the new saliva testing option, according to Jan Malcolm, is that it will serve as a “pressure release valve” of sorts for the state’s testing system, which has struggled with swab test capacity. This means more people, who may have mild symptoms or no symptoms, but had possible exposure, can be tested at a higher rate.
Health officials say the test can be taken at-home, supervised by a health expert using a telehealth service. There will also be in-person testing locations.
The saliva test was developed by a research group at Rutgers University called Infinite Biologics.
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