COVID-19 is continuing to have a global impact, with infection numbers rising daily. It is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2) and occurs due to close contact with an infected person, by exposure to coughing, sneezing, breathing in droplets, or airborne particles, or from touching contaminated surfaces.
Recent studies show that virus shedding from the upper respiratory tract is extremely high in the early stages of the disease [Chin 2020]. The viral load found in saliva is not only consistently high but also higher than that from the oropharynx, suggesting that saliva is likely to be capable of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
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