Acceptability and Feasibility of Saliva-delivered PCR Coronavirus 2019 Tests for Young Children

• DOI: 10.1542/peds.2022-060352d
• Publication Date: 2023-07-03T03:02:27Z
• Authors: Rebecca E. Lee; Michael Todd; Hyunsung Oh; SeungYong Han; Michelle Santana; Jaquelyn Aguilar-...; Meg Bruening; Joanna L. Kramer; Tomás León; Vel Murugan; Hector Valdez; Michelle Villegas...
• Keywords: Adult; Male; COVID-19 Testing; Child, Preschool; Surveys and Questionnaires; Humans; COVID-19; Feasibility Studies; Female; Child; Saliva; Polymerase Chain Reaction; 3. Good health

OBJECTIVES Access to readily available, reliable, and easy-to-use coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests remains critical, despite great vaccination progress. Universal back-to-school testing offered at early care education ([ECE]; ie, preschool) sites screen for positive cases may help preschoolers safely return to, stay in, ECE. We examined the acceptability feasibility of using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 saliva test young children (n = 227, 54.0% girls: mean age 52.3 ± 8.1 months) their caregivers 70 teachers: 36.6 14.7 years; n 227 parents: 35.5 9.1 years) mitigate spread reduce days school work missed households with who positive. METHODS Participants were recruited ECE serving low-income communities as part Rapid Acceleration Diagnostic Testing–Underserved Populations Back Early Care Education Safely Sustainability via Active Garden project (NCT05178290). RESULTS Surveys in English or Spanish administered events showed child adult ratings generally high. More favorable parent positively associated whether was able produce sample. Language preference not any outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Saliva sampling is an acceptable strategy additional layer protection 4- 5-year-olds; however, alternate strategies be needed younger children.