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At this point it's very clear that we need a lot more rapid surveillance screening of asymptomatics who could be contagious with SARS-COV-2. We are piloting such screening in lab using saliva and a commercial LAMP assay, requiring knowing how to pipette and use of a heat block.
Recommended reading:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7273276/, https://www.protocols.io/view/salivadirect-rna-extraction-free-sars-cov-2-diagno-bjswknfe
https://www.skillcell-alcen.com/sites/skillcell-alcen/files/pdf/press/Clinical-assessment-of-EasyCov-v10_1.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7273276/, https://www.protocols.io/view/salivadirect-rna-extraction-free-sars-cov-2-diagno-bjswknfe
https://www.skillcell-alcen.com/sites/skillcell-alcen/files/pdf/press/Clinical-assessment-of-EasyCov-v10_1.pdf
This topic is getting a lot of attention lately and labs are able to get very rapid results using LAMP assays: https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1300887407768662016?s=20
The most exciting part is that it has become clear that surveillance screening falls under different guidelines than diagnostic testing, and regular non-CLIA labs can also take this on: https://twitter.com/dho/status/1300443137802997760?s=20
This comes at a time that scientists have come to consensus around the critical role asymptomatics are playing in transmission of disease, while the CDC is discouraging their diagnostic testing: https://twitter.com/profshanecrotty/status/1300850147727831041?s=20
Canada - we hope that you come through with rapid at home testing that everyone can run, every day, and hopefully we won't be too far behind... https://twitter.com/BogochIsaac/status/1300882827504951299?s=20
