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Residents being tested for COVID-19 can choose either a saline gargle or nasal swab method.
Photo by Jaana Björk
Plan ahead before visiting COVID-19 test sites
Published 2:21 PST, Fri February 5, 2021
Last Updated: 2:22 PST, Fri February 5, 2021
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A saline gargle has been offered as an alternate to the nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region since Nov. 16, but some recipients are arriving at collection sites unprepared thus excluding it as a viable testing option.
Health officials advise the public to avoid eating, drinking, vaping or smoking, brushing their teeth or chewing gum for at least one hour prior to taking this test. Research has shown this is necessary to ensure the test provides an accurate and reliable result. To properly complete the gargle test collection, recipients must swish and gargle saline water in their mouth for 30 seconds under the supervision of a test administrator.
Saline gargle collection is currently available at 14 test collection sites—including in Richmond at the jetSET parking lot and Richmond Hospital—and accounts for just over 30 per cent of all COVID-19 tests performed in the region.
The Public Health Laboratory at the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children’s Hospital and Provincial Lab Medicine services worked together to develop the gargle test at the start of the pandemic to relieve supply chain demand for swabs for nasopharyngeal sample collection. During the test’s pilot program, laboratory and medical staff found the test was also an easier and more comfortable option for children and their parents and caregivers. B.C. was the first province in Canada to offer this test collection option to its residents as part of its COVID-19 test collection protocol.
The BCCDC has published a simple video guide for parents and caregivers which demonstrates how they can practice with their child from home, before they arrive at a COVID-19 test collection site. A video with guidance for adults has also been created. VCH advises waiting at least two hours between practicing and doing the actual test collection to avoid affecting test results.
VCH continues to advise anyone with cold or flu like symptoms to use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool to determine if they require assessment or testing for the virus. The wait times for test collection is also available for those planning to get tested.
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