SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- Beacon Health System is offering a new option at its mobile testing clinics.

“Testing has changed now because we’re offering our patients the ability to self-collect their specimens at our in-car screening sites by using a swab that’s much shorter,” said Jenny Pierce, Executive Director for Medical Specialties at Beacon Medical Group. “They really appreciate not having the nasal pharyngeal swab which is much longer and it goes much further into your nasal cavity and is much more uncomfortable.”

This less invasive type of test is done under direct observation of a clinician and is tailored toward people showing symptoms of COVID-19.

The traditional longer swab is better suited for asymptomatic individuals or those required to get tested before an elective procedure.