Saliva tests for detecting Covid-19 in asymptomatic individuals, but not rapid tests, were given the green light on Thursday by the French National Authority for Health (HAS), allowing for repeated screenings in schools and universities.
Saliva collection can be done directly at the laboratory or at home using a tube provided in a collection kit, which should not be refrigerated afterward. The time frame for delivering the self-collected sample to the laboratory should be as short as possible and must not exceed 5 hours. The sample will be analyzed in the laboratory on the same day. These procedures differ from rapid tests, which provide results in 40 minutes.
The sample should not be taken within 30 minutes after eating, smoking, or brushing teeth. However, for children who do not know how to spit, there is always the option to collect saliva using a pipette.
