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David Goldfarb, MD, a Medical Microbiologist who is associate head of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at BC Children’s & Women’s Hospitals Michael Donoghue of the UBC Centre for Disease Control and Dr. Meghan McLennan, of Provincial Laboratory Medicine Services Dr. In the current BC Medical Journal, four provincial experts discuss the work that led to this point. The testing is done by swishing and gargling salinated water and then spitting it into a tube. But last month, it became available to adults as well. The saline gargle was initially introduced as an alternative to nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs for school-aged children. Centre for Disease Control followed the work being done elsewhere and three months ago, became one of the first jurisdictions in the world to introduce a saline rinse-gargle method for COVID-19 testing. In July, this website reportedon the growing global shortage of nasal swabs and preliminary research being done around the world on less invasive saliva sampling showing comparable accuracy to swab tests. They can be uncomfortable and even traumatic for some, not to mention they pose a risk to healthcare technicians testing individuals because the probes can provoke gagging and coughing in those being tested. Not long after the pandemic began, it became apparent the supply of swabs required for collecting nasopharyngeal (NP) samples could become insufficient because of global demands and inadequate supply chains.Įxperts also identified other issues with the long swabs. Here’s a story about how the testing was developed: VCH advises waiting at least two hours between practicing and doing the actual test collection to avoid affecting test results.
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A video with guidance for adults has also been created. The BCCDC has published a simple video guide for parents and caregivers to show how they can practice with their child, before they arrive at a COVID-19 test collection site. Test collection sites are listed on the VCH website. It accounts for just over 30% of all COVID-19 tests performed in the region. It is currently available at 14 test collection sites across urban and rural Vancouver Coastal Health communities. The test is done by swishing and gargling saline water in the mouth for 30 seconds under the supervision of a test administrator. Otherwise, the test won’t yield an accurate and reliable result. Those who want COVID-19 saline gargle device must avoid eating, drinking, vaping or smoking, brushing their teeth or chewing gum for at least one hour prior to taking this test. COVID-19 test collection sites say some individuals are showing up unprepared for the more comfortable saline gargle test which means they can’t use the alternative to nasal swab testing.