Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil: New saliva-based coronavirus test is a 'positive development'
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Dr. Devi Nampiaparampil appeared on “America’s Newsroom” Tuesday to explain why the new coronavirus saliva test would help conserve protective health care equipment and improve the testing operation in general.
“Right now, we’re relying on the nasal swab," the author of "Coronavirus Made Simple" said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A health care provider usually on the front lines has to come really close to the patient to be able to get that swab -- to get that test. And in order to do that, he or she has to have a lot of protective equipment on like gowns, gloves, masks, the whole works," the director of Metropolis Pain Medicine said.
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“And, so, before they can test the next patient, they have to switch a lot of that stuff out.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Nampiaparampil noted that the shortage of protective equipment caused problems in terms of the health care system's ability to test patients.
While the saliva test entails the patient spitting into a tube for the health care provider to extract for testing purposes, there is an “additional distance” between the two parties that prevents the need to switch out protective equipment.
“And it’s much easier to actually get the tests done and to do on a larger scale,” Nampiaparampil said, calling the saliva-based test a "positive development."
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Nampiaparampil's comments came after Rutgers University developed a novel coronavirus saliva test that will be available at a number of New Jersey testing sites starting Tuesday.
The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Rutgers' saliva testing approach, which is the first FDA-approved testing method that does not use invasive cotton swabs to collect samples, the university announced in a Monday press release.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The school's new saliva test is expected to help mitigate swab-based testing shortages across the country. It is also expected to present less risk to health care workers since potential COVID-19-positive patients can take the tests at home rather than have one conducted by a medical professional in-person.
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.