Why is saliva collection better than nasal swabbing for testing and collecting?
For a nasal swab, proper
sample collection technique is needed to collect a small amount of mucosal
material from a specific nasal region,
making it error prone. In addition, the process is invasive, and many patients
find the process either difficult or uncomfortable.
By comparison, no skill is needed for saliva collection. The patient simply drools saliva into a
tube; the sample collection process is neither invasive nor uncomfortable. Because
the sample collection is not from
a specific region and the sample size is larger than
collected by nasal swab chances of human error are minimal.
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Does SHIELD Illinois offer Binax (antigen) testing?
The short answer is "yes." The long answer is SHIELD Illinois only provides operational support for BINAX testing for K-12 public schools which are already participating in the SHIELD Illinois covidSHIELD saliva testing program. Overview SHIELD ...
I tested positive with covidSHIELD and negative with nasal PCR or other test. Which result is correct?
Not all PCR tests are the same. They run on different PCR instruments, use different reagents, look for different genes, etc. etc. For example, the covidSHIELD saliva test is more reliable overall compared to self-collected nasal specimens. Nasal PCR ...
Who do I ask if I want to include binaxnow testing in my program?
Email your relationship manager.
How does the testing process work?
The test is self-administered and non-invasive. After checking in with a collection site staff member, you will receive a vial to deposit a small amount of saliva into. Then, you place the vial in a collection rack and leave the collection site.
What happens if someone, including a child, cannot produce an acceptable saliva specimen?
Our supportive collection site staff members can help you produce a sufficient saliva sample. However, in order to complete the test, an acceptable saliva specimen is required (i.e., no food, liquids, or other substances in the mouth for one hour ...