Coronavirus: how do ‘spit tests’ work?

Thousands of volunteers to take part in mass trial of Covid-19 saliva tests from next week

Covid-19 testing
Thousands of volunteers to take part in mass trial of Covid-19 saliva tests from next week
(Image credit: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty)

The UK is moving a step closer to nationwide mass testing for Covid-19, as thousands of NHS workers and their families sign up to trial a new weekly saliva test.

Announcing the pilot scheme, which begins next week, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that “saliva testing could potentially make it easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home”, with no need for swabs. “The trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier,” he added.

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