Its minister Dr Adham Baba said the alternative sampling method is safe and non-invasive compared with sampling with nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab methods.

He also said the method will speed up the screening process.

In a statement, Adham said the deep throat saliva method is seen as important as it is “self-collected” and can save on the use of personal protection equipment.

He said that according to the Institute for Medical Research, the samples collected thus far have been found to be suitable for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.

“The health ministry will start the method in hospitals first before it is continued in other health facilities,” he said.

On the Covid-19 immunisation programme, Adham said the ministry welcomed donations of equipment, adding that it required a special type of needle called the Low DeadVolume (LDV) for the Covid-19 Pfizer Comirnaty vaccine.

So far, he said, the ministry had received 2.7 million units of LDV from Etiqa Family Takaful Bhd worth RM891,000.

“Through this contribution, all LDV syringes will be used for the implementation of phase one of the Covid-19 immunisation plan which will involve an estimated 500,000 frontliners,” he added.

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