Petition · past parliament · Department of Health and Social Care
Offer non-invasive saliva covid tests for children instead of nasal swabs
Closed
1,077 signatures
What the petition asks
Non-invasive saliva tests have been available for a while and can be purchased privately for a fee.
Please offer the option of saliva testing for coronavirus instead of the invasive nasal swab for young children and those older that require it.
More children would then be tested.
Please offer the option of saliva testing for coronavirus instead of the invasive nasal swab for young children and those older that require it.
More children would then be tested.
Saliva tests are available and can be purchased for a fee of around £89.
Young children (and some older children/adults) can find invasive swabbing traumatic.
Parents are less likely to take their children for a PCR nasal swab as children can find it traumatic and consequently they (particularly when alone) can find it challenging to get an accurate swab.
More children would be tested resulting in less traumatic experiences for them and more accurate results to protect the wider population.
Young children (and some older children/adults) can find invasive swabbing traumatic.
Parents are less likely to take their children for a PCR nasal swab as children can find it traumatic and consequently they (particularly when alone) can find it challenging to get an accurate swab.
More children would be tested resulting in less traumatic experiences for them and more accurate results to protect the wider population.
Timeline
| 12 Oct 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 12 Apr 2022 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,077
Status
Closed
Department
Department of Health and Social Care
Opened
12 Oct 2021
Closed
12 Apr 2022
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.