NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Yale has announced that researchers at the school of public health have come up with a COVID-19 testing method that could significantly reduce wait times and the cost.
This is a saliva-based test that does not require any kind of swabbing. The method is called SalivaDirect and they’ve already tested it on players and staff in the NBA.
The test has been granted an emergency use authorization by the FDA. This new method could bring the average cost of a COVID-19 test from $150 per test to under $10 per test.
“This test could be a world-shaking, really game-changing breakthrough because it can reduce the cost, raise the reliability and make detection and screening much faster,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal.
With the FDA’s emergency use authorization, the test is immediately available to diagnostic laboratories that want to start using it.
According to Senator Chris Murphy, this could be a game-changer when it comes to re-opening our economy.
“We can’t do population testing in this country right now we don’t have enough tests, we don’t have enough components to test all school kids are all workers and essential businesses. The good news is you’ll have a solution now has figured out a way to do large scale population testing,” said Sen. Murphy.
Sens. Blumenthal, Murphy discuss new COVID-19 test developed by Yale
The FDA said the test was a "game-changer"
