As a result of the partnership between the Municipality of Viseu and the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, the first collection of samples from the Municipality's employees took place today, February 5, based on the methodology developed by the SalivaTec research laboratory. This was the first time in Portugal that this methodology was applied.

The methodology developed by SalivaTec aims at the diagnosis of COVID-19 through saliva samples, being a non-invasive method with the evaluation of Sars-CoV2 in groups of samples. This is also a more sensitive method in the diagnosis of the virus compared to rapid antigen tests. The SalivaTec methodology also enables a reduction in the testing costs and a reduction in environmental impact.

Marlene Barros, Director of the Interdisciplinary Health Research Centre (CIIS) and scientific head of the SalivaTec Laboratory, says that the COVID-19 ended up acting as an accelerator of research and its rapid transfer, resulting in solutions that help fight this pandemic and certainly better prepare us to face others.

For the sample collection action that took place today in Viseu, 100 employees were selected from areas with greater exposure and risk by the Municipality.