Photo used for illustrative purpose.

As part of ongoing efforts to effectively and successfully contain the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government of Abu Dhabi has rolled out saliva testing for children to a second phase of schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The steps were taken as part of the Department of Health and Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre’s strategic commitment to study and develop rapid testing methods that will supersede the COVID-19 nasal swab tests that may be uncomfortable for young school students and their families.

The saliva Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (SPCR) test is considered an innovative and reliable test, whose results are produced fast and accurately in a period ranging between 6 and 12 hours from the time of sample collection.

The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, in cooperation with the Department of Education and Knowledge and Biogenix Labs, a company of G42 Healthcare, completed phase one of saliva tests in October.

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Saliva Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (SPCR) tests for COVID-19 were conducted in the Al Rabeeh School in Abu Dhabi for students between 4 and 12 years of age, after obtaining parental consent. During this phase, 447 saliva samples were collected, and the results of the collection and examination process were successfully verified.

The second phase has been launched across 25 schools in December with more than 2,000 students examined so far. This phase will continue to collect samples from students in private and charter schools across the Emirate selected by the health authorities as per the epidemiological needs of the investigation, and in coordination with the Department of Education and Knowledge.

Biogenix Labs is well-prepared to execute testing operations during the second phase and has the capacity to process 30,000 saliva Polymerase-Chain-Reaction (SPCR) tests per day.

The SPCR test has a high degree of accuracy and involves fewer steps, with saliva being collected in a sterile container that does not require special preservatives, temperature controls, or additional containers.

WAM