Two circulars clarify the terms of the use of salivary examination, suitable for screening in schools but not suitable for replacing tampons, and recommend that pregnant women be immunized
The same tests in fact they are not recommended as an alternative to tampons because they do not reach the minimum acceptable levels of sensitivity and specificity. On the other hand, molecular salivary tests are considered valid for green certification.
Salivary antigenic tests only in the context of screening – Salivary antigen tests, however, remain valid as an alternative to gold / nasopharyngeal swabs in some contexts, such as in screening for children involved in the Plan for monitoring the circulation of the virus at school, or for the elderly in RSA, disabled people and health personnel. However, these tests are not currently recommended, according to the text “Update of the indications on the use of salivary tests for the detection of Sars-Cov2 infection”.
Saliva collection at home – In the context of school monitoring, the collection of the salivary sample “can also be carried out by means of self-collection at home by the parents / guardians, following a preventive training process” to use the collection devices.
“Yes to the vaccine in pregnancy” – For pregnant women, the new circular states that “anti-Covid vaccination with mRNA vaccines is recommended in the second and third trimesters. Regarding the first trimester, vaccination can be considered after evaluation of the potential benefits and potential risks with the healthcare professional figure of reference “. The vaccine is also recommended for women who are breastfeeding, without the need to stop breastfeeding.