Edmonton airport piloting new coronavirus saliva test for passengers

An Edmonton medical technology company is conducting a clinical trial of its new rapid coronavirus test at the airport.

GLC Medical Inc. has developed a new coronavirus testing apparatus that analyzes a saliva sample and is supposed to tell if a person has coronavirus within seconds.

They bill their technology as both faster and less invasive than the current swab-up-the-nose test that needs to be analyzed in a lab.

GLC Medical hopes that if their test proves effective, it could eliminate the need for a 14-day quarantine period for travellers entering Canada.

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“We all want travel to get back to normal and a rapid COVID-19 test will accelerate this return while enhancing passenger confidence in the safety of our industry,” Tom Ruth, president and CEO of the Edmonton International Airport, said in a news release.

A prototype of GLC Medical’s new coronavirus rapid testing unit (GLC Medical)

The handheld units contain a substance called graphene, which is a type of carbon, that can bind to the spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus. If coronavirus viral particles are detected, the machine lights up within one minute to notify the user.

GLC Medical says unit operators don’t need medical training to use it, which could widen access to coronavirus testing should the clinical trial succeed.