A new COVID-19 sample collection method has been approved for children in Nova Scotia.
The saline gargle test, which was first developed by researchers in British Columbia, is meant to simplify the testing process in comparison to the sometimes uncomfortable nasopharyngeal swab. According to one of the researchers who led the project in B.C., the test might also help ease the pressure off the nasopharyngeal swab supply chain.
There's no need for a health professional to collect a sample for this test. It only requires swishing and gargling a small amount of saline solution, then spitting it into a tube. B.C. had rolled out the test on Sept. 18 for school-aged children.
It's not clear yet when Nova Scotia will start using the test. A spokesperson with the Nova Scotia Health Authority said in an email that planning is currently underway for its implementation in the province.
Nova Scotia adopts COVID Alert app
On Friday, Nova Scotia announced it was opting in Canada's COVID-19 exposure notification app, called COVID Alert. The province joins five other provinces already using the app: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Prince Edward Island is also set to roll out the app soon.
"As we adjust to our new normal, COVID Alert is another tool that will help keep ourselves and our communities safe and healthy," said Premier Stephen McNeil in a news release.
The app has been available for download to all Canadians since early August, but it only functions in the enrolled provinces. It's been downloaded 3.1 million times since its launch.
According to the news release, people in Nova Scotia will be able to use the COVID Alert app "in the near future." The app is free and voluntary.
When a user downloads the app, it sends randomly generated codes via Bluetooth to people who have come within two metres of the user for at least 15 minutes and who also have the app. If a person tests positive for COVID-19, the health authority will give them a one-time key they can enter into the app. The app would then notify the people who were in close proximity as they maybe at risk of having COVID-19 and provide them with advice from public health officials on what to do next.
The app has been criticized for its inaccessibility to seniors and people from marginalized communities. So far, the app only works with iPhones or Android phones released within the past five years. This could mean that anything older than iPhone 6s or Samsung Galaxy S6 might not work. The app also requires an internet connection, through Wi-Fi or a data plan, at least once a day to function properly.
Despite receiving endorsements from privacy security experts, there are still questions around the information the app collects and whether it is a threat to people's privacy. According to the federal government, the app doesn't intentionally collect any personally identifiable information or track people's locations. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was also consulted throughout the app's development.
The app is available for download on the Apple app store and the Google Playstore.
