Covid-19 tests often include RT-PCR, but Dubai health authority has now introduced a saliva test for children. This test is introduced only for children to avoid painful nasal swabs. Read on to know more.
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The Saliva Test Is Introduced For Kids Aged Between 3 To 16
For the tests, the saliva test is introduced for kids aged between 3 and 16. The test involves spitting into a tube, which is then sealed and sent to the lab for testing. For the pricing, the saliva test costs AED 150, which is the same as the widely used PCR Test. Like other covid tests, the results for this test is delivered within 24 hours. This one-of-a-kind test was introduced by the Dubai Health Authority approved after several months of trials. On this, Dr Farida Al Khaja, chief executive of DHA’s clinical support services and nursing division, said,
“For children, in particular, it is highly beneficial as it eliminates the discomfort associated with a nasal swab test, which means children will be at ease and find the test comfortable. This joint effort highlights how research-based data can help develop public health policies to provide the highest standards of medical care to the population.”
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The Saliva Test Costs AED 150 And The Test Is Delivered Within 24 Hours
In terms of trials, 476 children had volunteered for the saliva testing, where the saliva specimens were collected in sterile containers. At the same time, the children provided nasal swab specimens to compare accuracy. After 24 hours, both the tests were compared. Findings proved that saliva could be used for viral detection with 87.7 per cent sensitivity and 98.5 per cent specificity, similar to a PCR nasal swab test.
The study in Dubai, which was one of the region’s largest on children and received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee at DHA, was submitted for peer-review publication.
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Dr Hanan Al Suwaidi, lead investigator and assistant professor of family medicine at Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences said the advantages of using saliva for testing, reduced risk to frontline health workers and less strain on critical health equipment.