New coronavirus test doesn't involve nasal swab

Huntsville hospital has partnered with kailos genetics to offer covid-19 testing in the workplace!

And the new test doesn't involved a nasal swab.

Waay-31's bridget divers spoke to the chief scientific officer at kailos to learn why this program is so important.

The new partnership offers sentinel testing to organizations and employers in north alabama.

The goal is to identify any covid-19 cases as soon as possible.

"since day one we've been working on a non-invasive method and this is just a simple saline mouthwash and gargle and you spit it back into the tube.

Completely pain- free and provides us more than enough virus."

Chief scientific officer of kailos genetics troy moore says the company's "virawash mouth rinse system" makes it easier for people to get tested multiple times a week.

It's also non-invasive.

That means a large number of people can be tested regularly - an important part of the "assurance sentinel" program.

"and the idea is that for workplaces, schools, that kind of thing where you want to do repeated testing right, testing not necessarily daily but a couple times a week or more."

Moore says kailos genetics can also process the tests quickly - leading to a faster turnaround for results.

"here we're doing pool testing.

So we bring together 25 people into each pool and if that pool is negative we can say everyone is negative.

If they're positive we go test each individual."

The test is 95 to 97 percent accurate.

And they can return test results within two to three days.

In huntsville, bridget divers, waay-31 news.

The company says the test is able to detect if someone has coronavirus before they show any symptoms. but if you are showing symptoms - the hospital recommends you