State Health Department touts new COVID-19 tests as being less invasive

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Health Department will now use self-administered COVID-19 tests at all of their community testing events.

The Health Department has nine community testing events scheduled across Missouri from September 14th to September 25th.

One event is scheduled to take place at The Crossing Church in Columbia.

It is currently scheduled to take place on September 14th from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the 15th from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The dates and times for all of the scheduled community testing events can be viewed here.

Dr. Laura Naught with The State Public Health laboratory said these tests were chosen not only because they're less invasive, but also because they're safer for those giving the test.

Naught said the test is fairly simple to perform, saying the thicker nose swab, "allows for you to go up about an inch, inside of the nose and then you swirl basically in each nostril."

Since the test only needs to be observed, rather than performed by a health professional Naught said this will mean less PPE is required for those giving tests.

The CDC has also said that self-administered tests can help reduce the duration of the procedure.

Dr. Naught said that different types of tests work with different situations and that for large, community testing, self-administered was the most appealing.

"Less patient discomfort so obviously we want to keep that in mind especially for community sampling events." Naught said.