CHICAGO — The company behind the saliva-based coronavirus testing programs at more than a dozen north and west suburban school districts sought and last month received certification to conduct “screening” testing, instead of just “surveillance” testing, public health officials said.
Safeguard Surveillance’s certification followed the filing of a complaint containing concerns that the Brookfield-based company had been providing COVID-19 test results to schools in violation of federal certification standards, according to a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The company’s founder and local school officials both say the program has followed evolving guidelines from public health officials all along, as it has processed hundreds of thousands of saliva samples from suburban students. They disputed a recent newspaper report that suggested Safeguard “ran afoul of regulators” and received “warnings” about the program.
Picture Source: Ed Campbell
