USC offering COVID-19 saliva tests to public, guarantees fast results

The University of South Carolina’s rapid saliva testing program was able to keep COVID-19 at bay for the majority of the student population for the last school year. Now, USC’s Diagnostic Genomics Laboratory at the College of Pharmacy is offering saliva based testing to the general public at a cost.

Tests run $70 for 48-hour results and $100 for same-day results.

“This has been something that we have wanted to do for quite some time, because we wanted to keep our faculty, staff and students safe. But we also know that we are not insular and that we wanted to be able to reach out to the community to offer testing to help keep our community safe,” said Dr. Carolyn Bannister, the director of the Diagnostic Genomics Laboratory.

Testing is offered at 1311 Pendleton St., the same location where USC students, faculty and staff are tested. Summer hours of the testing site are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Fridays, testing is offered from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

Information about testing schedules is available on the university’s COVID-19 website and at go.sc.edu/covidtest. Appointments can be made prior to testing, but walk-ins are also accepted.

Hours will be extended once the fall semester begins Aug. 18.

Bannister said the lab is able to test anyone who can give saliva, including children 5 years old and older. Make sure that you come into the site hydrated and haven’t eaten or drunk within 30 minutes.

All patients will receive an automated email from the university with test results.

Bannister encourages everyone to get tested right away, even with the smallest of symptoms, to help keep others safe.

“The benefit of our test is that it is saliva based, so you don’t have to worry about an evasive probe of the nose,” Bannister said. “It’s also been shown to be more accurate because the virus grows in our lungs and in our throat. So it’s in our saliva before it gets up into our nasal passages.”