A new saliva-based COVID-19 test could allow the NFL to test players, coaches, and fans more quickly at a lower cost.
The test, developed by Yale University and funded by the NBA and NBA Players Association, marks a major turn in COVID-19 testing in the United States. Currently, it can take up to 48 hours to receive the results of a COVID-19 test. That means a player who has the virus could be on the practice field and locker room for a day or two before he gets the test results. “There we go,” an NFL general manager said upon learning that the new test -- known as SalivaDirect -- was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.