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Augustana to Use COVID-19 Saliva Testing

Testing for COVID-19 will be available to 300 randomly-selected students and staff at Augustana College. Starting next week, Augustana will use a less-invasive saliva test. 

Dean of Students Wes Brooks says the plan is to test 10% of Augustana's total population every week during the fall semester. 

"That not only helps us have a better understanding of positivity rates, but it also helps us be better informed as to whether or not our other health and safety measures are being effective on campus." 

Brooks says that while money is no object when it comes to campus safety, there's not a big difference in cost, or in wait times, between saliva testing and the more common nasal swab.

Testing will be administered by Genesis Health System.

Marianna Bacallao is WVIK Quad Cities NPR's 2020-2021 Fellowship Host/Reporter. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mercer University's Center for Collaborative Journalism and served as Editor-in-Chief for the student newspaper, The Cluster.
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