SUNY schools opening COVID-19 testing sites

GENESEO, N.Y. (WHEC) — By now we are all familiar with testing sites. In fact, many of us have probably been to one, but at a new testing site at SUNY Geneseo, there are no nasal swabs needed.

Not surprisingly, with more COVID positive cases spreading across the state, Governor Hochul is opening up additional COVID testing sites to the community at more SUNY campuses starting Tuesday.

Unlike most testing sites, the 10 new SUNY testing sites the governor has opened this week will a be run by a called Quadrant Biosciences, which solely features COVID saliva tests.

“Quadrant Bioscience co-developed the "clarify COVID-19 saliva test" with SUNY upstate medical University,” said David MacLean, chief marketing officer at Quadrant Biosciences. “It’s somewhat unique because it’s a saliva swab, not a nasal swab so it’s much less invasive, much easier to take.”

MacLean said with the number of variants we’ve seen over the past two years, people can rest assured this test will pick up the one being talked about most right now.

“It does pick up known variants including the omicron variant and interestingly, some research just came out that saliva may be a better source of identifying the omicron variant than nasal,” MacLean said.

The company executive says while the different method of COVID testing is less invasive and easier to collect, it’s more so the importance of getting tested, especially as the virus continues to spread.

“Testing has been important all along but it seems increasingly important now given the rate at which omicron is really taking over, so it’s a good time to take testing seriously,” MacLean added.

The SUNY Geneseo testing site is open to the community for walk-in or appointment-testing Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saliva test results come back in about 24 to 48 hours.