NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Hybrid learning is scheduled to begin in New Haven Public Schools November 9. Soon thereafter, those in high schools will encouraged to spit.
Two Yale School of Public Health professors have developed a saliva Covid test that was employed very successfully by the NBA this season and now it may be coming to New Haven Public schools, free of charge.
The test, called SalivaDirect, was introduced to the Board of Education via Zoom Monday night.
"I can tell you that my five-year-old is an expert at spitting and she can do a pretty good job of getting the saliva into a tube," said Prof. Nathan Grubaugh of Yale School of Medicine.
The test, which involves spitting into a straw, connected to the test tube, will first be administered to high school teachers and staff. Then, high school students.
"The saliva screening will allow for an easy very efficient way for us to be able to identify from a pool of students," said Maritza BondNew Haven's Health Director.
And the cost per test would be roughly $10-$15, which is 1/10 of the typical cost, because the samples would be tested as a group rather than individually.
"We are looking to do it for six weeks<" Bond said. "It will be testing every single week."
But, the program might not cost the school system anything.
"We have a really great partner in this in Testing for America that is interested in funding this," said Grubaugh.
Word on funding is expected by the end of thweek.
"We believe the data shows that with repeat testing this helps for facilities to stay open by identifying positives before they become outbreaks," said Grubaugh.
If New Haven Public Schools had to pay out of pocket, just to test teachers and staff at the high school level, that would cost the city roughly $500,000.