Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to view and post comments.
Testing is the cornerstone of a successful public health response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nasopharyngeal sampling for nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) is the current noninvasive criterion standard diagnostic test. However, nasopharyngeal testing requires trained personnel and handling of a specially designed swab, and the technique cannot be easily or reliably performed in all populations (eg, children and quarantined individuals).1 A test that can be self-administered would greatly increase the options for case identification in the community. Consequently, alternative sampling sites are being explored to allow broader deployment of testing, increased access in remote regions, and testing among underserviced populations who may have limited access to highly qualified testing personnel.
