COVID-19 TESTING METHODS
IF YOU MUST GET TESTED, CHOOSE THE SALIVA TEST
The purpose of this page is to make sure you are aware of your options should you be in a situation where you are required to be tested, such as for your job.
While "swabbing" is a popular method of COVID-19 testing, there are other ways to be tested that do not involve something going into your body. You can opt to give a saliva sample instead.
The FDA website has stated for quite some time that At-Home Saliva Tests are permissible and can be ordered right online for you to take a test in the convenience of your own home. You simply spit into a test tube. With some tests, you get your results nearly instant (about 20-minutes). With other At-Home Tests, you mail it off to a lab using a prepaid return label.
You may even desire to purchase a few At-Home tests to have one handy for you or loved ones in case it is ever absolutely necessary for you to be tested.
VARIOUS TESTING METHODS AVAILABLE
Below is a list and chart of the various methods of testing.
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Saliva
Acceptable — The FDA endorses testing of saliva samples which are collected by spitting into a tube. This can be done at a clinic, hospital, or right at home. The FDA promotes At-Home testing kids that involve saliva only & the results are instant.
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Swab - Anterior Nares
This type of swab test just barely enters into the corner of one of your outer nostrils (see illustration below for the "Anterior Nares" location).
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Swab - Mid-turbinate, Nasopharyngeal, & Oropharyngeal
Unacceptable — Swabbing in these locations are unacceptable for a variety of concerns:
1) These methods are invasive & intrusive
2) Long-term swabbing in these areas can potentially cause scarring
3) Incorrect swabbing in these areas (i.e., the nurse does it improperly) can cause punctures, bleeding, and even cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks.
4) The swabs are sterilized with ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, which can be an issue with repeated swabbing in the same area. -
Blood
Unacceptable — The FDA says blood samples are for antibody testing and not used to diagnose COVID-19.
*The illustration above shows the location of the four (4) Swab testing methods.
PRC Test vs. Antigen Test
Once fluid is collected from your Body, the test itself can be a PCR Test or an Antigen test. The molecular RT-PCR test detects if the virus genetic material is present. An Antigen test that detects specific proteins on the surface of the virus. Both PCR and Antigen type tests can be done with your saliva. We lean towards recommending the Antigen saliva tests—even tho PCR is billed as more accurate and can test you for the coronavirus and flu viruses simultaneously—but please do your own research & pray so that you can make educated, prayerful decisions should you decide to submit to any form of testing. Don't be afraid to ask questions to your employer, hospital, or clinic as to WHAT type of test exactly they want to perform.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR TESTING COSTS & YOUR TIME
Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, employers must pay nonexempt employees for the time spent undergoing testing during the workday. This includes time spent "waiting for and receiving medical attention.” At-Home Tests make this easy. Employers can purchase these online with or without a health provider’s prescription and ship them to your home.
From the FDA’s website:
“There are now FDA-authorized COVID-19 tests available for purchase online or in a store that can be used completely at home. At-home tests allow you to collect your own sample and test it with a system that gives you results in minutes at home. Additionally, the FDA has authorized some tests that can be purchased online or in a store that allow you to collect your own sample and then send it to a laboratory for analysis.”
FREQUENCY OF COVID-19 TESTING
If you are asymptomatic, there is no purpose for excessive or frequent testing. Any employer can simply issue their employees an Employee COVID-19 Health Screening Questionnaire. This is important because repeated testing, especially swabbing, can cause issues (see above chart, specially mid-turbinate, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal swab-testing methods.).
In addition, natural immunity should be taken into consideration if you have ever had a COVID-19 infection.
Finally, it is your human right to religious freedom in the United States of America, to not be discriminated against by your employer for refusing specific medical testing methods that conflict with your spiritual beliefs.
LETTER FOR YOUR EMPLOYER ABOUT COVID-19 TESTING
For members of our assembly & their immediate family members, we provide a "TESTING LETTER" upon request that helps explain the above information to your employer. It explains that you should not be tested if asymptomatic, since the health questionnaire is permitted by law in lieu of testing in that instance. It informs them of what types of test you are willing and not willing to engage in. It will also remind them to compensate you for the test or they can purchase it for you.
FOOTNOTES & SOURCES
Footnotes for the above information are coming soon as time permits. Meanwhile, please know we consulted Registered Nurses in the Truth, the FDA website (to verify At-Home Saliva tests are an acceptable form of testing and even encouraged by the FDA), and other sources. As with everything, we encourage you to do your own research & fact-checking while seeking Abba Yahuah's guidance & direction. (CAUTION: Avoid exclusively viewing videos on YouTube or other social media platforms as your only means of research; YouTube alone is a significant source of misleading information during public health crises.) Thank you for your patience & prayers!
