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10% to have Saliva tests

11 replies

Orangeblossom7777 · 30/10/2020 09:13

What do you think about this? Government planning to test 10% of population (symptoms or not) with Saliva covid tests which may not be that accurate.

The government’s aim to move forward with its “moonshot” mass-testing plan could mean more than five million people in England being asked to take saliva tests each week.

"The scheme would call for one in ten people to be sent a 30-minute saliva test each week. The kits are designed to detect active infection, where people have virus particles in their system.

Several versions appear to have passed government standards, though experts warned yesterday that they were likely to fall short of the sensitivity of the standard PCR tests that have formed the backbone of the test-and-trace system. “The biggest issue is the sensitivity,” Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, said. “Clearly [the saliva tests] are not as sensitive as the PCR test. For people in the acute phase of infection, who are symptomatic, they seem to be adequate. But there’s a big question mark over whether these tests would actually detect asymptomatic infection. And we all believe that that’s a major source of the spread of the virus in the community"

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Orangeblossom7777 · 30/10/2020 09:14

being asked to take not compulsory then

Can't see people being that happy about this - having to isolate etc and T&T when they don't even seem that accurate.

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Enoughnowstop · 30/10/2020 09:49

As a teacher, I would personally welcome the opportunity for regular testing and would happily take part. Whether this particular test is the right test I guess remains to be seen.

woodyLdn · 30/10/2020 09:52

I'd be concerned about accuracy. There's already a growing group of scientists warning that the PCR tests are resulting in quite a number of false positives,....

Racoonworld · 30/10/2020 09:55

I think it would be a great plan. Even if the accuracy isn’t brilliant surely it would still catch more asymptotic people than not doing it at all? Everything we get that helps a little is good. This, added to an early vaccine, added to increased PCR testing, addd to track and trace could be a game changer.

Mindymomo · 30/10/2020 10:02

Great idea, but then so was track and trace if it worked properly and regular, faster results for key workers and care homes.

monkeytennis97 · 30/10/2020 10:03

@Enoughnowstop

As a teacher, I would personally welcome the opportunity for regular testing and would happily take part. Whether this particular test is the right test I guess remains to be seen.
Same response from DH and I both teachers. More testing needed in schools!!
Numberblock7 · 30/10/2020 10:09

I’d like saliva tests prioritised for children for normal testing of symptoms before random testing of adults. I don’t think swab tests on small children can be terribly accurate either given the difficulty getting them to cooperate, and I think a lot of parents, shall we say, don’t look too hard for symptoms, because they don’t want to put their child through a swab.

I’d also prioritise fewer tests, but results much much faster - 24 hours maximum not several days.

Orangeblossom7777 · 30/10/2020 10:10

Still would mean 90% not tested though, 10% randomly seems a bit odd. Think they expect councils to manage it. Can see how using them e.g. for care home visitors might work.

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samuraimyths · 30/10/2020 10:19

"I would like saliva tests prioritised for children"
www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/20/a-35000-in-school-covid-testing-machine-only-in-the-private-sector
Top boarding schools have been using saliva tests for a while... - hopefully the cost of the individual tests will come down.
If a vaccine does not work 95%, this type of instant testing will be the way forward to risk manage. I think it is a good idea to start rolling the concept out now. I look forward to a time when I can purchase a £5 instant test before seeing my 70 year old mum.

StarCat2020 · 30/10/2020 10:29

Can see how using them e.g. for care home visitors might work
But without accuracy using them for care home visitors could result in visitors being given or denied access in error.

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