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Saliva Testing Program
The Saliva Testing Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) offers free saliva test kits to symptomatic students and staff in select schools and outpatient environments (eg. SickKids ED) across the Toronto area.
These saliva tests test for five respiratory infections: influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) ,COVID-19, pertussis (whooping cough), and mycoplasma pneumoniae (walking pneumonia).
How it works
SickKids provides pre-prepared saliva test kits to select schools. These kits can be picked up by students, staff, and household members experiencing symptoms of a respiratory infection.
Symptoms of a respiratory infection include:
Fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath/wheezing, decreased/loss of taste or smell, runny nose/nasal congestion, headache, extreme fatigue, sore throat, muscle aches/joint pains, vomiting/diarrhea.
Step 1: Pick up a saliva test kit
Pick up a saliva test kit at your school’s designated Saliva Test Kit Pick-up station.
Step 2: Complete the test
Review the Saliva Collection Instructions and watch the video on “How to collect your sample”.
After collecting your sample, fill out the requisition form accurately and include it with your sample. Watch the video here on “How to fill out your requisition”.
Step 3: Drop off your sample
Completed saliva test kits can be dropped off inside the cooler at your schools designated Completed Kit Drop-off station. For next-day results, drop off your sample before the courier comes to your school (you can confirm courier timing with your school lead).
Samples are collected Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) and delivered to SickKids for testing.
Step 4: Retrieve your results
All results will be available on MyChart within 24 to 48 hours after sample drop-off. See "My Results" to know what to do if your test is positive or negative
Take a test
Pick up a saliva test kit at your school’s designated Saliva Test Kit Pick-up station.
Review the Saliva Collection Instructions and watch the video below on how to collect your saliva sample.
How to fill out your requisition
After collecting your sample, fill out the requisition form accurately and include it with your sample. Watch the video below here on how to fill out your requisition.
Where to drop off completed test
Completed saliva test kits can be dropped off inside the cooler at your schools designated Completed Kit Drop-off station.
Your Spit-kit should contain:
- Saliva collection container and funnel
- A plastic bag to store the specimen in (biohazard bag)
- A label to complete and stick on to the saliva collection container
- A requisition form to be filled out
- Instructions on how to collect and label the saliva sample
- Instructions on how to access results
Reminders
- Avoid eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking, or vaping 30 minutes before sample collection.
- Spit to the red line on the collection container (1 to 2 ml), bubbles do not count.
- Cap with lid. Once sealed, gently shake three to five times.
- Legal first/last name and date of birth must match health card, label sticker, and requisition form.
- Label must be stuck on to saliva container.
- Fill in the laboratory requisition form completely. The form must be filled in completely for the sample to be processed.
- Place sample and lab form in biohazard bag and seal tightly.
- Keep sample in fridge until drop off.
My results
If your test is positive:
You will receive a call from a SickKids provider (calls made Monday to Friday). If the SickKids clinical team is unable to connect with you, an email will be sent to the email supplied on your requisition to notify you the results are available on MyChart. SickKids will not notify your school. You will have the option to participate in research if you are interested. For clinical guidance, see our ‘Care’ section
If your test is negative:
You will not receive a phone call
If your test was unable to be processed:
Sometimes tests are unable to be processed due to not enough saliva in container or a label requisition form not being filled out correctly. If your test was unable to be processed, you will receive a call from a SickKids provider.
All results will be available on MyChart within 24 to 48 hours after sample drop-off. Samples dropped off Friday afternoon to Sunday evening will result on the following Tuesday.
If you don’t have a MyChart account, you can create an account for free after your sample has been received by our lab, which typically takes 24 to 48 hours after drop-off.
You will need an Ontario Health Card Number to create an account. If you don’t have an Ontario Health Card Number, please contact school.salivatesting@sickkids.ca for results.
How to create your account:
- Visit mychart.kidshealthalliance.ca
- On the website, select ‘Request Access’. Scroll down and select the appropriate SickKids group:
- Child under 12
- Child 12 years and older
- Yourself
- Use the same email address provided on your requisition form
- You will receive an email with your MyChart activation code within 24 to 48 hours.
- If samples are submitted on a Friday – a MyChart activation code may not be provided to you until the following Monday.
Care guidance
Regardless of your test result, if you are experiencing symptoms and are a Toronto resident, refer to Toronto Public Health’s self-assessment tool and your school’s policies and follow the guidance provided.
For Toronto residents, review Toronto Public Health's information on respiratory viruses, and how to reduce respiratory virus spread.
See below for more information and guidance:
- Influenza
- AboutKidsHealth: Influenza (flu): An overview
- Toronto Public Health: Influenza (Flu) - City of Toronto
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
- AboutKidsHealth: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Toronto Public Health: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - City of Toronto
- COVID-19
- AboutKidsHealth: COVID-19
- Toronto Public Health: COVID-19 - City of Toronto
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- AboutKidsHealth: Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Toronto Public Health: Pertussis (Whooping Cough) - City of Toronto
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae (walking pneumonia)
- AboutKidsHealth: Pneumonia
- CDC: About Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection - CDC
- If you are a parent or student and believe this program would benefit your school, we encourage you to share your interest with your school administration and provide them with our contact information: school.salivatesting@sickkids.ca.
- If you are a school administrator, please contact us at school.salivatesting@sickkids.ca to set up a meeting with a member of our team to discuss implementing the program at your school
At this time we are only able to offer saliva tests as swab tests are not validated for clinical use. We are hopeful that we may offer swab tests as options in the future.
- Curiosity: Find out what is causing your symptoms.
- High-Risk Individual/Family member: Protect yourself or a family member who is at high risk.
- Vaccine Decisions: Get information to help decide about vaccines.
- Research Participation: Have the option to be involved in research if you test positive.
No. Testing is voluntary.
Whether you complete a test or not, follow your school’s policies and public health guidance for any symptoms you are experiencing.
Results will not be disclosed to your school.
No. A clinical test and a research test are separate. If you complete a clinical test, it will be treated like a regular test that is done at your doctor’s office or the hospital. Research tests will be labelled as research tests and are completely optional.
Similar accuracy to nasopharyngeal swab.
The drop-off bin will be labelled as "Completed Kit Drop-off". Drop-off locations will be school-specific. For easy access, it is typically recommended to be inside the front entrance and/or foyer. Check your school communication materials to see where your school’s drop-off location is.
The parent/guardian/household member and/or individual completing the test is responsible for ensuring the correct completion of the lab requisition and specimen label.
Information must be complete and legally accurate for clinical samples. Preferred names cannot be accepted at this time.
The sample will be delivered with the next day’s pick-up.
If you come to drop off a sample on Friday after the courier has picked up samples, we ask you to keep your sample in the fridge over the weekend and drop it off on Monday before courier pick-up. This is to make sure the sample temperature remains stable over the weekend.
Contact Us
For more information and any inquiries about our Saliva Testing Program, you can reach out to us via email at school.salivatesting@sickkids.ca