What It's Like To Do The Coronavirus Spit Test

PISCATAWAY, NJ — Gov. Murphy has repeatedly praised the nation's first-ever spit test for coronavirus, developed at a Rutgers lab in Piscataway. The day after the test got emergency FDA approval back in March, the White House called Rutgers asking how it can go nationwide. And the test just got approved last week for at-home use.

But what do members of the public who've taken the saliva test have to say?

"They've worked quite well!" said Christopher Rinn, the director of a string of community health centers in Central New Jersey that have been administering the test for the past few weeks now. "Very easy to administer, great turnaround time, and effective in the sense they will increase access to testing."

Before it got FDA approval, the test was first only given to Robert Wood Johnson patients and staff. It was then rolled out to the public at the Edison Motor Vehicle Commission site test. But it has now been expanded to Rinn's health clinics, the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey VNACJ Community Health Centers, which have locations in Asbury Park, Freehold, Keyport and Red Bank.

The spit test is also offered at an elementary-school-turned-testing-site in New Brunswick and at the South Brunswick MVC test site. The spit test is faster and less invasive than the nasal swab: All you do is spit into a test tube. Results are typically back within 24 to 48 hours.

Edison resident Katrina Duggan, 41, was tested last Wednesday, May 6 at the New Brunswick site. She got her results back Sunday, Mother's Day.

"It was really such an easy process," she told Patch this week. "My fiancé did a swab test mid-April and came back positive. He's much better now. That is part of the reason I decided to be tested."

The saliva test was developed by RUCDR Infinite Biologics at Rutgers and its results are 100 percent comparable in accuracy to the nasal swab, according to the FDA. The test uses a Nobel Prize-winning laboratory technique, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), that detects SARS-CoV-2 virus nucleic acid (in this case RNA) in a saliva sample.

RUCDR Infinite Biologics can process approximately 20,000 saliva samples a day and is looking at continued expansion up to 50,000 a day, according to Rutgers. The next step is to begin testing asymptomatic patients.

Duggan walked us through her entire testing experience:

"I started having similar symptoms to what he had — intense headache and achy feeling and very tired. I had no fever so wasn't in a rush. But when symptoms didn't go away, my doctor recommended I get tested to be sure, since I had been in close contact with someone who was positive," she said.

"I didn't really think it was necessary but when I realized I didn't have to have the swab jammed into my brain, I figured I'd give it a try."

"I went online to the state COVID-19 hub page and found a local site. I scheduled an appointment for the New Brunswick walk-up location on Livingston Ave. I marked that I had a prescription and that I had been in contact with someone who tested positive. I arrived at my set time; my ID and confirmation page was checked at the gate and I was directed into a courtyard that was all set up with barriers and tents. There was only one person in front of me waiting to go in to the tent."

"Within minutes, I was in the tent, again verifying all of my information. I was handed a pre-labeled bag with my specimen collection tube. I was then directed to a spot to wait. Again, only one person in front of me and I believe six (testing) spots occupied. Once it was my turn, I was directed to a spot, which had a disposable paper cover, large cardboard box and a plastic lawn chair (which was still wet from being sanitized).

"There was a tech next to me, explaining each step to take to prepare the collection container. I then had to spit into the tube until it hit a line. It has to be plain saliva, not the bubbly kind, and that was the hardest part for me. The tech even said most people struggle with that part since we are told to not eat or drink a half-hour prior to our appointment. Had I known, I would have overhydrated in the hours leading up to the cut-off window."

"Once there was enough saliva collected, the tech instructed me on how to seal up the tube, shake the container and put a label on it before putting it back in the collection bag. I then dropped my bag in a box next to the cubby and I was on my way."

"Outside the exit there were two people handing out 'goodie bags' that contained a disposable blue mask, a washable homemade mask, a bar of soap and hand sanitizer. My appointment was for 11 a.m. and I was back in my car (which was parked down the street) by 11:15 a.m. It was really such an easy, quick process!"

Duggan's doctor was able to access the Accurate Lab site, and got her test results. Middlesex County also called her on May 10 with the results: Negative.

"As I expected they would be," she said. "While I felt really bad and had similar symptoms to what my fiance had, nothing was severe and I had no fever at all. I guess I just figured I'd feel a whole lot worse if it was COVID."

Another Middlesex County woman who took the spit test along with her husband reported a successful experience. She tested positive for the virus.

"I was tested at the South Brunswick site and my husband was tested at the Edison site," said Rachel Skvasik. "Both of our experiences were very easy and straightforward. We barely waited and it seemed like a very smooth process. I was tested on a Thursday and received a phone call with my results on Monday. My husband was tested this past Monday and he received a call with his results on Wednesday."

Skvasik said she was not surprised by her positive result: She had a fever, fatigue, headache, stomach issues, dizziness and a loss of smell/taste. Her husband's test came back negative. However, his symptoms were much milder and he also felt ill three weeks prior to being tested, she said.

If you want to do the coronavirus spit test:

Asbury Park, Freehold, Keyport and Red Bank: If you want to be tested at the VNACJ Community Health Centers (locations in Asbury Park, Freehold, Keyport and Red Bank) schedule an appointment by calling 732-294-2540 or vnachc.org/contact-us/ You will first be screened via telehealth to see if you qualify for the test.

New Brunswick: The testing site is at A.C. Redshaw Elementary School, located at 216 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick. Right now, the saliva tests are only available to Middlesex County residents. Also, anyone wishing to be tested must have symptoms and make an appointment.Visit Middlesexcountynj.gov/COVID19testing to register and receive a time to report to the testing site. If the resident does not have access to the internet, call 732-745-3100 to make an appointment.

Edison: Edison Motor Vehicle Commission test site on Kilmer Road. Testing info. here.

South Brunswick: Spit testing is offered at the South Brunswick Motor Vehicle Inspection Station located at 2236 Route 130 North in Dayton. More info. here.