Companies ramping up at-home saliva tests for coronavirus are banking on 'endless' demand

A handful of U.S. health care companies are banking on massive demand for coronavirus tests and an easing of federal rules as they prepare for a major production blitz that could bring at-home saliva test kits to millions of Americans in the coming months.

While experts agree that any plan to reopen the country relies on the ability to repeatedly test large swaths of the population, a streamlined approach to achieving that lofty goal remains elusive. But experts are increasingly touting the potential of at-home saliva tests, deemed by researchers to be a more convenient and reliable alternative to nasal swabs.

The question now is whether the fledgling industry surrounding at-home collection can mobilize to meet the demands of a nationwide crisis. The spit-tubes and labels are sent to consumers in a small, re-sealable box, a packet that was subjected to its own approval process to be sure samples could be safely shipped to the lab without breaking or being contaminated. But the ingredient that represented a breakthrough for Spectrum was the preservative inside the tube that enables the sample to be processed.

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Companies ramping up at-home saliva tests for coronavirus are banking on 'endless' demandA handful of U.S. health care companies are banking on massive demand for coronavirus tests and an easing of federal rules as they prepare for a major production blitz. Dr Birx gave a few requirements for US Tests, that were not met by other countries. 1) The Test must have specificity, that is, be able to tell the difference between a Cold, the Flu and Covid19. 2) Have very low False Positive/Negative results. 3) Be easy to administer. Because there are 300 million residents in the US that have been traumatized into panic by the media and they'll want those tests. They'll probably be as easy to purchase as those home DNA kits. Should be free to every American.
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