Britain announced Monday that more than 14,000 people in Southampton will participate in a weekly trial of a "no-swab" saliva test for COVID-19. "Saliva testing could potentially make it even easier for people to take coronavirus tests at home, without having to use swabs," Health Secretary Matt Hancock explained. "This trial will also help us learn if routine, at-home testing could pick up cases of the virus earlier."
The trial will be run by the National Health Service, the Southampton City Council, and the University of Southampton, involving doctors and health workers, university staff, essential workers, and their households. Unlike the swab-based tests, which are uncomfortable and require special swabs, the Optigene test initially used in this trial requires only that people spit into a pot, Reuters reports. Results are expected to be handed back within 48 hours.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 humorously unhealthy cartoons about RFK Jr.Cartoons Artists take on medical innovation, disease spreading, and more
-
Brodet (fish stew) recipeThe Week Recommends This hearty dish is best accompanied by a bowl of polenta
-
Phone hacking: victory for Prince Harry?Talking Point Even those who do not share the royal's views about the press should 'commend' his dedication to pursuing wrongdoing
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocksSpeed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor dealSpeed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US SteelSpeed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons mergerSpeed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battleSpeed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rallySpeed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
-
Enron mystery: 'sick joke' or serious revival?Speed Read 23 years after its bankruptcy filing, the Texas energy firm has announced its resurrection
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
