SHU Moves to Saliva Testing for Covid-19

Sacred Heart University is working with Yale to begin saliva-based COVID-19 testing beginning this week. The testing method, called SalivaDirectTM, was developed by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health (YSPH). It was granted an emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after clinical validation performed in collaboration between YSPH, Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale Pathology Labs (YPL). SalivaDirectTM was further validated for SARS-CoV-2 detection by testing nearly 4,000 samples from players, staff, and contractors from the National Basketball Association.

YPL is the first to offer SalivaDirectTM to the public, and Sacred Heart is among the first educational institutions to implement SalivaDirectTM testing. “SalivaDirectTM is less invasive and less expensive than nasal swab-testing, and the results are available more quickly,” said Stephanie Weirsman, physician liaison for YPL. “Yale Pathology’s mission is dedicated to advancing clinical care, and YPL’s Outreach Program is committed to bringing these standards of excellence to local communities and beyond,” says Angelique W. Levi, M.D., YPL Outreach director and associate professor of pathology. “This partnership is a natural fit as it supports YPL’s core values—it strengthens ties to our local communities, engages with educational institutions, promotes health and wellness through innovative diagnostics and increases testing capacity and access to the public.” 

“As we ramp up our testing program, SalivaDirectTM offers a great solution to allow us to dramatically increase the number of tests we do weekly on students, faculty and staff,” said Gary MacNamara, executive director of public safety and governmental affairs and cochair of the coronavirus planning team at Sacred Heart. “We are excited to offer a less invasive test and, at the same time, have results more quickly. That is a critical component to containing any spread of the virus.”

 

About Sacred Heart University

As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland and offers online programs. More than 9,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Social Work; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 386 Colleges–2021 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best Business Schools–2020 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliated radio station, WSHU, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theater. www.sacredheart.edu

View SHU’s Faculty Experts Here

About Yale Pathology Labs

Yale Pathology Labs offers comprehensive anatomic pathology services to clients globally, using cutting-edge equipment & diagnostic tools. Our board-certified, fellowship trained experts hold joint appointments at Yale University School of Medicine & Yale-New Haven Hospital; organizations with renowned national & international reputations.

About Yale Pathology’s SalivaDirectTM COVID-19 Testing Process

https://medicine.yale.edu/pathology/clinical/mdx/salivadirect/

Contact Yale Pathology Lab’s Outreach Team Here

https://medicine.yale.edu/pathology/outreach/people/people/

About SalivaDirectTM

https://publichealth.yale.edu/salivadirect/

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Submitted by Milford, CT

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