App Profile: HillSafe

‘HillSafe’ is a PCR-based saliva testing service provided by Hill Laboratories for the detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused COVID-19. The service is fully accredited and designed for workplace surveillance testing of asymptomatic persons. This app has been developed by Hill Laboratories to facilitate the entire process from sampling through to the reporting of results.

COVID-19 can go undetected on a large proportion of those infected, who can unknowingly spread the virus to others, also classified as asymptomatic carriers. This is particularly concerning for those working in close proximity to others or around people who may be susceptible to the more severe COVID-19 symptoms. Surveillance testing of asymptomatic people can be an important tool to identify any undetected community transmission and to ensure other control mechanisms are working effectively.

Hill Laboratories uses an ISO 15189 accredited method for detecting SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Our method is a modified version of the SalivaDirect method, which was developed by the Yale School of Public Health. The RNA extraction is the same, but we're using either the Dnature qPCR kit or a modified version of the CDC qPCR. PCR is used to detect viral RNA. PCR also detects human DNA as an internal control. SalivaDirect was the first saliva-based test for Covid-19 to be granted FDA approval and has been fully diagnostically validated. It has since been used widely around the world, with millions of tests successfully conducted.