Albany airport touts COVID saliva tests

75 passengers have taken advantage of testing program

Colonie Albany International Airport is reminding travelers that it is offering inexpensive and accurate saliva tests for COVID -19. So far, the airport has provided 75 tests to passengers, airport spokesman Doug Myers said Thursday.

But hundreds more have been provided to airport employees as the Albany County Airport Authority monitors staff, part of an effort that also includes constant cleaning and disinfecting, improved air filtration systems, mask and social distancing requirements, and a smartphone app that can tell travelers how recently a surface such as a ticket counter has been cleaned.

The 75 tests represent a small portion of travelers passing through the airport. Myers said he didn’t have data on test results, but airport officials are seeking to have more passengers take advantage of the voluntary, self-administered tests that involve swabbing the inside of one’s cheeks and then sending the cotton swabs off to the laboratory in a self-contained package. Each test costs $35.

“The SUNY- Quadrant Bioscience test has been rated the Number 1 test in the world for identifying the COVID -19 virus and I am extremely pleased with the initial response of Albany travelers that have elected to take advantage of our testing program,” said Phil Calderone, CEO of the Albany County Airport Authority. “COVID testing is an essential measure that will help restore confidence in air travel which is critical to the nation’s economy.”

While the test can detect COVID -19 in as little as a day after initial exposure, the airport requires that individuals wait four days after arrival before being tested. It’s not clear whether response would have been stronger if travelers were able to take the test immediately after arriving at the airport.

Departing passengers, meanwhile, can be tested before boarding.

The tests were developed at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. Results are reported to individuals by email within 48 to 72 hours.

Meanwhile, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo this week called on U.S. Customs and Immigration to require that international passengers arriving at airports in New York be tested for COVID -19.