DOHMH Health Alert #12: NYC PH Lab Now Accepting Nasal Swabs and Saliva Specimens for COVID-19 test

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April 27, 2020

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has issued a health alert on latest guidance for collection of nasal swabs and saliva specimens for COVID-19 testing:

• The New York City Public Health Laboratory (PHL) continues to offer COVID-19 testing specimens for hospitalized patients with acute lower respiratory illness.

• PHL is now accepting nasal swabs and saliva with nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 testing to confirm sensitivity of these less invasive specimens.

• Once sensitivity is confirmed, patients may be able to self-collect these specimens, reducing the need for direct collection of specimens for testing by healthcare workers and the associated PPE required for such collection.

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Additional Links:

• DOHMH Health Alert Network (HAN)