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How is a pcr test done: How to do a PCR test for coronavirus (COVID-19)

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How to do a PCR test for coronavirus (COVID-19)

PCR tests are mainly for people with symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). The swab is sent to a lab to get the results.

There’s separate information on how to do a rapid lateral flow test, the type of test you usually do if you do not have symptoms.

Before doing a PCR test at home

If you do the test at home, you must do the following before you do the test:

If you need help to register or do the test

Watch a video showing how to do a PCR home test on YouTube

Find step-by-step guides to doing a PCR test at home, including easy read and translated versions: GOV.UK: PCR home test kit instructions

You can call 119 (free from mobiles and landlines) if you need extra support. Lines are open every day, 7am to 11pm. 119 provides support in 200 languages.

InterpreterNow is a free online British Sign Language interpreter service for 119.

You can use the free Be My Eyes app to get help from trained NHS Test and Trace staff. Download the app, go to Specialized Help and select NHS Test & Trace in the Personal Health category.

The main steps for doing a PCR test

You’ll be given detailed instructions with your test kit. If you’re doing the test at a test site and need support, a trained helper can guide you.

These are the main steps for doing a PCR test:

  1. Wash your hands with soap or use a hand sanitiser.
  2. Lay out all the items in the test kit on the clean surface.
  3. Blow your nose and wash your hands again.
  4. Open your mouth wide and rub the swab over your tonsils (or where they would have been). Avoid the end of the swab touching your teeth, tongue and gums.
  5. Put the same swab inside your nose (about 2.5cm up or until you feel some resistance).
  6. Put the swab facing down into the tube and screw the lid tight.
  7. Put the tube in the bag provided.

Taking a sample may be uncomfortable and make you gag, but it should not hurt.

Doing a test on someone else

If you’re doing a PCR test on someone else, it might help to:

  • talk them through the steps
  • try to remain calm
  • get another person to help you
  • use a torch to see their tonsils (or where they would have been)
  • get them to say “ahhhhhhh” loudly so you can see their tonsils

Stop doing the test if the person becomes distressed.

It’s important to use a separate test kit for each person.

Important

If you cannot swab their tonsils, you can swab both nostrils instead. The test result may be less accurate than a nose and a tonsil swab.

Sending the test to a lab

If you do the test at a test site, they will send the swab to the lab.

If you’re posting a home test kit, you should only post it in a Royal Mail priority postbox. Do not take it to a Post Office or post it in a non-priority postbox.

Page last reviewed: 14 October 2021

Next review due: 28 October 2021

Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to do a PCR test at home

If you have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) you should isolate immediately and book a PCR test.

You may be able to get a PCR test to do at home, depending on availability.

What’s in a PCR test kit?

Home test kits contain:

  • a swab
  • a vial containing a small amount of liquid – this must remain in the tube
  • a clear zip-lock bag with an absorbent pad
  • a bag with a QR code
  • 3 stickers
  • a box

Step by step instructions

You’ll need to swab both your throat and nose. If you’ve had a nosebleed in the last 24 hours, swab the other nostril or wait 24 hours from when the nosebleed stopped.

If you have a nose piercing, swab the other nostril. If you have a piercing on both sides, remove the piercing on the side you’re going to swab.

Follow these steps if you’re doing a PCR test at home.

  1. Read the instructions that come with your test kit.
  2. Before you begin, blow your nose.
  3. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser.
  4. Place your test kit on a clean surface such as a table.
  5. Remove the swab from the packet from the stick end. Do not touch the fabric tip (soft part) of the swab or let it touch anything else.
  6. Using a mirror, take a look at the back of your throat, at your tonsil area. It’s important that you don’t let the swab touch your teeth, tongue or gums.
  7. Holding the stick end of the swab, open your mouth and rub the fabric tip of the swab over your tonsils for 10 seconds. It’s normal to find this a bit uncomfortable. Remove the swab carefully without touching anything else inside of your mouth.
  8. Now put the same swab up your nostril until you feel it can’t go any further. This is usually about 2.5cm (1 inch). Once inside, rotate the swab for 10 to 15 seconds inside your nose.
  9. Unscrew the cap off your sample tube and insert the swab fabric end first into the tube.
  10. Snap off the stick at the break point. This helps to make sure no germs from your hands mix with your test.
  11. Screw the cap onto the tube tightly.
  12. Clean your hands again.
  13. Put the absorbent pad into the zip-lock bag then place the tube pad in the same bag. Seal the bag.
  14. Put the zip-lock bag into the biohazard bag. Make sure the barcode on the plastic tube matches the barcode on the biohazard bag. Seal the bag using its silver seal.
  15. Assemble the return box, following the instructions on the box.
  16. Put the biohazard bag into the box and close the box. Apply the security seal as directed on the box.

The box is already labelled with a return address. It can be returned via a priority post box or by booking a courier by phoning 119.

Find your nearest Royal Mail priority post box

Test results

The test will confirm if a person has the virus. It won’t confirm whether they have had it and recovered.

Results are sent by text or email to whoever booked the test within 48 hours.

Positive result

If you test positive you should follow all the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.

If you have symptoms, you must self-isolate for 10 days from the day your symptoms started.

If you have had a positive test but have had no symptoms, you must self-isolate for 10 days from the day your test was taken. However, if you develop symptoms in the days after your test, you should re-start your self-isolation from the day your symptoms start.

Contact tracing will begin when you receive a positive test result. All close contacts should also follow guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection

Negative result

Even if you have had a negative result, it’s important to still apply caution.

You can end isolation and return to work after a negative test result.

You should discuss your return to work with your employer, and should only return to work if you cannot do your work from home.

If, after returning to work, you develop symptoms you should follow our self-isolation guidance.

Test could not be read

You may have had a ‘could not be read’ test result. This means it’s not possible to say if you had the virus when the test was done. You’ll need to get another test as soon as possible.

You must continue to self-isolate if you:

  • have, or develop, symptoms of coronavirus
  • have been told you are a close contact by the Test and Protect service

Further information

The Science Behind the Test for the COVID-19 Virus

Mayo Clinic’s new test for the virus that causes COVID-19 is described in a recent news release as a PCR test. While most won’t know what that means, PCR is a well-used tool in the laboratory and medical testing. Larry Pease, Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic immunologist and the Gordon H. and Violet Bartels Professor of Cellular Biology; and Kyle Rodino, Ph.D., a clinical microbiologist, explain how this test works.

To start, PCR
stands for a laboratory technique known as polymerase chain reaction. In this
test, the goal is to selectively amplify trace amounts of genetic material,
identifying specific parts of DNA. Just as a reminder, DNA is the genetic code
that is present in every cell in the body. When a cell divides, it copies DNA,
separating the two strands and then creating a new strand of DNA by copying the
template. PCR mimics what normally happens in cells.

Mayo Clinic announces on March 12, 2020 that it has developed a test that can detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus in clinical samples. The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes COVID-19.

But why DNA?

DNA is used because at the most discriminating level, the structure of DNA can tell you what organism is being looked at. In the case of humans, PCR can identify a person using his or her genetic signature. In the case of COVID-19, researchers have published more than 100 genomes collected from patients to identify key features of the virus that causes that disease, SARS-CoV-2.

But there’s a
wrinkle.

PCR only
works on DNA, and the COVID-19 virus uses RNA as its genetic code. RNA is
similar to DNA, but only has a single strand. Fortunately, viral enzymes to convert
RNA into DNA were discovered decades ago, and have been harnessed, along with
PCR, to find unique signatures in RNA, too. In this case, PCR is referred to as
reverse transcription PCR, or RT-PCR.

This is how
it works.

First a person with symptoms of COVID-19 calls his or her local health care provider and asks how to be evaluated. Remember: Call first. Don’t go to your clinic or hospital without calling to find out the safest way to get tested. Once a patient arrives at a safe testing site, a sample is taken by the health care team. Usually that means a narrow swab is placed in a person’s nose or mouth to collect cells from the back of the throat.

“An upper respiratory specimen, particularly a nasopharyngeal swab, is the most common sample collected to reliably detect the virus,” says Dr. Rodino. “Some lower respiratory samples like sputum are also acceptable in some settings.”

At the lab,
the sample is processed so RNA is isolated and collected. Everything else is
removed. The RNA is mixed with other ingredients: enzymes (DNA polymerase and
reverse transcriptase), DNA building blocks, cofactors, probes and primers that
recognize and bind to SARS-CoV-2.

Then the viral RNA is converted to a DNA copy, and that single copy is then converted into millions of copies using PCR that can be easily detected.

The process is as follows: Using heat and enzymes, converted viral DNA strands are forced apart. Short primers of DNA matching the complementary strand of the viral DNA template stick together, functioning as an artificial start site for DNA synthesis.

Chemical
building blocks of DNA are added and joined together, extending the synthetic
DNA primer to form a copy of the viral DNA template. A second primer made in
the opposite orientation downstream of the first primer is also present in the
reaction. This makes a copy that is complementary to the first synthesized
strand.

After one
round of DNA synthesis, the reaction mixture is heated to melt the two strands
apart, generating two templates that can be amplified further in the next
round. The copies accumulate, round by round, exponentially, so that millions
and millions of copies are generated to be studied using conventional
approaches.

Because the enzymes
and chemicals added to the reaction tube are relatively heat-resistant — “The
heat sensitive enzymes are isolated from thermal resistant bacteria from hot
springs,” says Dr. Pease — the reaction can proceed in an automated
fashion of heating, cooling and DNA synthesis. It only takes hours to complete
the assay and get the results.

If SARS-CoV-2
complementary DNA is present in the sample, the primers can copy the targeted
regions. As they copy these regions, probes stuck to these new fragments release
a visual signal that can be read by the instrument used in this process.

“The
millions of copies amplify this signal so it can be easily detected as a
positive result. If the virus is not present, the probes do not stick, there is
no signal release and it is a negative result,” explains Dr. Rodino.

This type of
analysis is used for research and clinical lab testing. PCR can detect all
types of bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi, starting with DNA or RNA.
While the principle and ingredients are similar, each use requires specific
primers or probes to detect different organisms. That’s why something for
SARS-CoV-2 had to be developed from scratch. During development, these sorts of
tests are tweaked to make sure they are very good at detecting the organism of
interest (sensitive) and making sure the test does not show a positive result
when the organism is not there (specific).

“The importance
of the steps involved in PCR has been recognized by a series of Nobel prizes
over decades,” says Dr. Pease. “Medical science advances as a result
of basic discoveries about the molecular basis of living systems, and this is
one example of how these discoveries come together to solve an important
problem in our lives.”

Working as a
research and clinical team, Mayo experts were able to roll out a PCR test for
SARS-CoV-2 in a matter of weeks ― shaving down what typically takes months to
years.

“As the
COVID-19 outbreak increased in size and scope, our leadership team made the
decision to forge ahead with developing a novel PCR test to diagnose patients
with this infection,” says Matthew Binnicker,
Ph.D., a clinical microbiologist and director of the Clinical Virology
Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
“We made this decision because we knew that our providers at Mayo Clinic,
as well as providers around the country, would need a laboratory diagnosis to
make important patient management decisions. It was only through the collective
efforts of a team of devoted laboratory professionals that we were able to
deliver a test for COVID-19 in just three weeks. This was an extraordinary
accomplishment that was fueled by Mayo Clinic’s mission to provide hope and
healing to the patients we serve.”

― Sara Tiner, March 27, 2020

PCR, antigen and antibody: Five things to know about coronavirus tests

We want technologies that are fast, accurate, have high capacity, that don’t require expensive, complex laboratory equipment or the expertise of highly trained people, but there’s nothing which fills all of those criteria at the moment, says Professor Jon Deeks, a biostatistician and testing expert at the University of Birmingham, UK. ‘We haven’t got any perfect test like that, but there are some which are sort of good in some aspects, but not in others.’

Here are five things to know about coronavirus tests:

  1. PCR and antigen tests are the most common but they work differently

While antigen tests look for proteins on the surface of the virus to ascertain the presence of the pathogen, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests are engineered to seek genetic material called RNA that instructs the virus to make these proteins.   

Both tests also require a swab from the back of your nose or throat as a sample and cannot determine whether you are contagious if positive but that’s where the similarities end.

In the case of PCR, the sample is sent to a lab where it is heated and cooled using special reagents to convert the virus’s RNA into DNA, and then make millions of copies of the DNA, which allows for the identification of the organism. This process can take hours, requires sophisticated lab equipment and technicians, and is typically done one sample at a time, although there are machines that can process multiple samples. Although the sample needs to be sent to a lab, the time consuming process delivers as the results are almost 100% accurate in spotting infected people when there is virus on the swab.

In contrast, antigen tests — often referred to as rapid tests — work by mixing the sample with a solution that unleashes specific viral proteins. That combination is then applied to a paper strip that contains a bespoke antibody optimised to bind these proteins if they are present. Like a home pregnancy test the result is reflected as a band on the paper strip.

The process doesn’t require a lab, and can be done in up to 30 minutes, but that speed comes at the cost of sensitivity. Although these tests are reliable when an individual has a high viral load, they are far more prone to false-negative results if a person has low amounts of the virus in their body.

  1. Sensitivity and specificity are measures of a test’s usefulness

These two measures are used to determine the credibility of a test: ‘How well does it detect disease, and how well does it detect the absence of disease,’ explained Prof. Deeks.

Sensitivity is defined as the proportion of patients with Covid-19 who correctly get a positive result, while specificity is the proportion of patients without an infection that the test correctly identifies as negative.

In general, a highly sensitive test has a low false negative rate but runs a risk of false positives if its specificity is not up to scratch. On the other hand, a highly specific test runs a risk of false negatives if the test’s sensitivity is poor, but will generally have a low false positive rate. PCR tests are considered the gold standard because they are generally highly sensitive and highly specific.

  1. When it comes to rapid tests, the person who administers the test can be crucial

In the UK, an antigen test called the Innova lateral flow test was piloted in the city of Liverpool as part of the government’s plans to carry out mass vaccinations in the country. The aim was to allow workers back into offices and allow families to hug their loved ones again in care homes, Prof. Deeks notes. 

But this ‘test to enable’ strategy backfired when scientists found that in a population of mostly people with symptoms the test’s sensitivity fell to about 58% when administered by self-trained staff, versus 73% when tested by skilled research nurses and 79% when tested by laboratory scientists. In a study that looked at people without symptoms, the sensitivity fell to roughly 49% versus PCR tests.

‘So, there’s this gradient of saying, the more experienced people are at doing the test, then less cases will be missed,’ he said. There are some stages that have to be followed very carefully, he says, like reading it accurately. ‘Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether that’s a line or whether it’s a smudge,’ said Prof. Deeks.

PCR tests are processed in the lab, so the potential for error is much lower, he adds.

Test makers are also trying to develop at-home tests but given the lessons we’ve already learned about how rapid test accuracy depends on who administers it, that’s a problem, Prof. Deeks suggests.

‘If people can do tests more easily, then more people will be tested… but I don’t think we’ve got the test to do it yet,’ he said. He adds that there aren’t any good studies looking at what benefit this extra testing would have, for instance, what impact repeated false-negative results could have on behaviour.

In a proposal for common rules on rapid antigen tests published on 18 December, the European Commission said that rapid antigen testing should be carried out by trained healthcare personnel or other trained operators.

‘If people can do tests more easily, then more people will be tested… but I don’t think we’ve got the test to do it yet.’

Prof. Jon Deeks, University of Birmingham, UK

  1. Until rapid tests are made more accurate, negative results should not be used to encourage risky activities

If a test, like the Innova test, is missing up to half the cases then nobody can really be considered free of the risk of having or transmitting infection, Prof. Deeks notes.

‘You’re always going have a small percentage of those people who are missed by all tests,’ said Gary Keating, chief technology officer of HiberGene, an Ireland-based company that has a Covid-19 test. The test utilises LAMP technology, which is a low-cost alternative to PCR technology.

‘I think it’s always dangerous to taking a single diagnostic test in isolation, and use that as the basis to go and make a very significant medical or lifestyle decision,’ said Keating.

Used on a large scale, results could lead to false sense of security, according to Prof. Deeks.

Governments are keen to use rapid tests as they are cheaper and faster to deploy for mass vaccination campaigns, but because they have limitations in terms of accuracy then it is key to not use negative results to enable more risky activities such as meeting your elderly or vulnerable loved ones, he says.     

Some countries, like the United States, advise getting a PCR test if individuals with symptoms test negative with a rapid antigen test to confirm the result.

Although rapid tests are good at catching people who have high viral loads, it isn’t yet clear what the viral threshold must be to thwart contagiousness. With Covid-19, those that are infected see a peak in viral load in the early phase of the infection, but viral RNA can stick around for weeks or even months. 

  1. Antibody tests could be useful in measuring the durability of vaccine responses

Antibodies are soldiers deployed by the immune system in response to a foreign invader — in this case SARS-CoV-2. ‘Originally, there was hope that antibody tests might enable us to diagnose disease quickly and easily. But it turns out, the tests don’t turn positive for two to four weeks (post infection),’ said Prof. Deeks.

And the plot thickens, because even if you test positive for antibodies — that information doesn’t tell you much, apart from the high likelihood that you had contracted Covid-19 in the past.  

‘We don’t really know what levels of antibodies leads to protection (from disease) and indeed, which kind of antibody is the most important — I’m not sure whether there’s consensus on that either,’ he said.

It is also unclear how long Covid-19 antibodies persist in the body, or that anybody who has tested positive for antibodies won’t catch the virus again.

Where these tests could come handy is in estimating the spread of Covid-19 at a population level — for instance, what percentage of the population and what ethnic groups have contracted Covid-19, as well as in measuring the durability of vaccine responses, Prof. Deeks adds.

HiberGene’s coronavirus test was one of the initial 18 emergency projects funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.

What is the PCR/NAAT COVID-19 Test?

Lincoln Urgent Care in Lincoln, California is now offering the PCR/NAAT COVID-19 test for travel.* As summer approaches and vaccine availability is on the rise, many Americans are traveling again and need this test to fly out of commercial airports across the country. Many people are also wondering: what is a PCR COVID-19 Test?

The first thing to understand is that there are two types of COVID-19 testing methods: diagnostic tests and antibody tests. Diagnostic tests show when you are actively infected with COVID-19, while antibody tests show if you have previously been infected with COVID-19. PCR tests are a type of diagnostic test that uses a technique called NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests) to determine if a person is currently infected with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2.)

What Are Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs)?

From Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

A Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, or NAAT, is a type of viral diagnostic test for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. NAATs detect genetic material (nucleic acids). NAATs for SARS-CoV-2 specifically identify the RNA (ribonucleic acid) sequences that comprise the genetic material of the virus.

The NAAT procedure works by first amplifying – or making many copies of – the virus’s genetic material that is present in a person’s specimen. Amplifying or increasing the copies of nucleic acids enables NAATs to detect very small amounts of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in a specimen, making these tests highly sensitive for diagnosing COVID-19. In other words, NAATs can reliably detect small amounts of SARS-CoV-2 and are unlikely to return a false-negative result of SARS-CoV-2.

What is a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Test?

From The Cleveland Clinic:

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is performed to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you are infected at the time of the test. The test could also detect fragments of virus even after you are no longer infected.

A PCR test for COVID-19 is a test used to diagnose people who are currently infected with SARS-CoV-2, which is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The PCR test is the “gold standard” test for diagnosing COVID-19 because it’s the most accurate and reliable test.

How is a PCR Test Conducted?

A PCR test is a three-step process. Step one takes place inside our office. Steps two and three take place at an outside laboratory, and your results are available in 1-3 days.

  1. Sample Collection: The inside of your nose will be swabbed to collect respiratory material. After collection, the swab is sealed and sent to a lab. If you are infected with COVID-19, the virus will be present in this sample.
  2. Extraction: Once the lab receives our test swab, a process called “extraction” takes place. During this process, any genetic viral material is separated from your sample.
  3. PCR: The sample is placed in a PCR machine with special chemicals. Due to the NAAT process, if COVID-19 is present, millions of copies of the virus’ genetic material will appear and produce a fluorescent glow due to the chemicals added. This fluorescent glow indicates a positive result.

Get Tested at Lincoln Urgent Care

At Lincoln Urgent Care, we are currently conducting PCR tests on a walk-in basis only – no need to schedule an appointment! Please visit our office during our normal business hours to receive your PCR swab test. Results are available in three days or less.

*excludes Hawaii at this time

Please note: some destinations will accept our Rapid 15-minute Antigen Test. Check with your airline and destination to determine if it is accepted.

Types of COVID-19 Tests: COVID-19


As we learn more about COVID-19, recommendations and guidance are updated frequently. Please check back often.

On this page:
Testing for current infection
Testing for past infection

Testing for current infection

Viral tests, sometimes called diagnostic tests, can detect if you have SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. There are two types of diagnostic tests: molecular and antigen.

A positive COVID-19 test (molecular or antigen test) means the person who took the test has COVID-19 and can spread it to others. If you get a positive test result, you should stay home and away from others. This advice does not change if you get a second test that is negative. See If You Are Sick: COVID-19.

Your close contacts will also be asked to stay home and away from others (quarantine). This advice does not change if they get tested and the result is negative. See Close Contacts and Tracing: COVID-19.

It generally is not recommended that people get tested again after getting a positive result. However, those who work in health care and long-term care may need to retest to confirm a negative result. See Health Advisory: Antigen-based Tests for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 (PDF).

Molecular tests

PCR and other molecular amplification tests detect the virus’s genetic material.

  • Most accurate tests for detecting the virus that causes COVID-19.
  • Given with a nasal swab, oral (throat) swab, or by taking a saliva sample.
    • Nasal swab: A nasal swabs looks like a long Q-tip. It is inserted about two inches into your nose and swirled around for a few seconds. The swab is then removed and sent to a lab for testing. You may experience a tickling sensation while the swab is in your nose, and after it is removed, you might sneeze or have runny eyes for a moment or two. Nasal swabs are fast and accurate, and they’re a good option for most people.
    • Saliva test: Saliva tests are self-administered; this means that after you are shown how to perform the test, you’ll do it by yourself. You will spit several times into a funnel attached to a tube, and then screw on a cap to complete the test. If you are at a semi-permanent testing site, you will then hand your sample to a supervisor; if you are performing the test at home, you will put the sample into a prepaid UPS envelope and send it out. Most people need 10-12 minutes to make enough spit to fill the tube. Saliva tests are more comfortable than nasal swabs and just as accurate, but they may not be a good option for those with low saliva production, such as very young children or those who have suffered a stroke.
  • Used whether or not you have symptoms.
  • A positive PCR or other molecular amplification test result is considered a confirmed case of COVID-19, and public health workers will follow up with the person to give recommendations for how long to stay home.

Antigen tests

Antigen tests, sometimes called rapid tests, look for specific proteins on the surface of the virus.

  • Produce results more quickly than other tests.
  • May not be as accurate, especially for people who do not have symptoms.
  • Given with a nasal swab.
  • A positive antigen test result is considered a probable case of COVID-19, but they are still considered cases and a public health worker will follow up with the person to give recommendations for how long to stay home.

Testing for past infection

Antibody tests

Antibody tests, also called serology tests, tell if someone may have had SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the past.

  • Given by drawing blood via a finger stick.
  • Cannot detect if you currently have COVID-19, only if you have had it in the past.

For questions about which test is right for you, talk to your health care provider.

We still do not know how well these tests work. None of the tests on the market have been fully studied and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA and federal health and human services have given some of the tests special, temporary approval to test for antibodies.

What antibody tests cannot tell us

  • An antibody test cannot tell someone if they currently have COVID-19. It can only tell someone if they may have had it in the past. A different lab test is used to tell if someone has it at the moment. 
  • Antibody tests cannot tell if someone can get COVID-19 again. We do not know yet how long antibodies for the virus that causes COVID-19 last or if they can keep people from getting it again.

Learn more at FDA: Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing Basics.

How Coronavirus Throat, Nose Tests Work: RT-PCR Method, Explained

  • One of the best ways to figure out how far a virus like COVID-19 has spread in a community is to test for it.
  • This step-by-step guide explains how coronavirus swab-the-nose-and-throat tests work, and why the laboratory-based ones often require more than a day to produce results.
  • Don’t assume that just because your test is negative, you are safe. Even if you have the coronavirus, the test may not turn up positive.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

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Do I have the coronavirus?

That seemingly simple question is tricky to answer definitively.

For one, the tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 (the disease caused by the virus) can often mimic other illnesses, such as the flu or a

common cold
.

Getting tested for COVID is also not a surefire way to know one way or the other if you have the coronavirus.

The most precise type of testing for COVID-19, the molecular kind, starts by reaching deep inside a person’s nose and throat to extract sputum — the gunk that gets ejected through coughing, sneezing, spitting, and even singing. That throat gunk, in turn, can be tested for the presence of some of the coronavirus’ tell-tale genes. 

But if a sick person’s infection isn’t living in the spot where they are swabbed, their infection isn’t caught at the right moment, or their sample isn’t collected properly, their test could still come back negative.

Still, these types of laboratory-confirmed tests (not to be confused with the less accurate, rapid, 15 minute kinds of nasal swabs that are becoming increasingly available nationwide) work fairly well.

Generally speaking, molecular coronavirus tests catch more than seven out of every 10 COVID-19 infections they hunt down. 

Here’s how these real-time RT-PCR* tests  actually work, from start to finish:

“Who you test, and when they test, and when you test them, and the specimen that you use to collect all really impact the performance of the test,” Dr. Jana Broadhurst, director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Clinical Laboratory, told reporters on a SciLine conference call in April.  

Broadhurst estimated then that roughly 30% of coronavirus tests may come back negative, even when a person actually has the virus in their body. Another scientific review of coronavirus PCR tests, published in May, suggested similarly that false negative results occur between 2% and 29% of the time. (The chances of a false positive test, which would alert a patient that they have the virus when in fact they don’t, are much slimmer.)

Health care worker tests people at a drive-thru testing station run by the state health department, for people who suspect they have novel coronavirus, in Denver, Colorado, March 11, 2020.

Jim Urquhart/Reuters

That’s why if you have COVID-19 symptoms, it’s best to stay home for 14 days and self-quarantine, no matter what your test results may show.

Real-time RT-PCR tests can’t tell if you’ve had COVID-19 in the past (blood tests that search for the presence of coronavirus antibodies do that). Instead, RT-PCR tests are designed to detect an ongoing infection. 

*RT-PCR stands for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Reverse transcription turns viral RNA into DNA that polymerase enzymes can then properly amplify. The process is also called real-time RT-PCR, because the PCR reaction is measuring the amplification of coronavirus genes in real time.

Special thanks to Dr. Jeffrey SoRelle, Dr. Alex Greninger, and Business Insider’s quantitative editor Andy Kiersz for their expert guidance on the inner workings of real-time RT-PCR.

This story was originally published on April 15, 2020. It has been updated with new information. 

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90,000 testing – what is it, how the PCR method works, indications, preparation for the PCR test, how the PCR analysis is performed, test results

Published: 10/02/2021 13:07:00 Updated: 18/02/2021 Views: 186484

PCR is a highly accurate diagnostic method and one of the most important discoveries in the field of biology in recent decades.PCR analysis has been used for almost 40 years and is considered the most accurate and sensitive way to diagnose infectious diseases.

PCR is a unique and versatile method, the test is used not only in clinical laboratory diagnostics, but also in biology, forensic science, archeology and many other scientific fields. All that is needed for the analysis is a small amount of any patient’s biomaterial.

The essence of the PCR method

PCR – polymerase chain reaction.The method is based on the detection of even small concentrations of the desired diagnostic element. To determine initially extremely low concentrations of RNA or DNA, which must be determined during the main stage of the study, the method of artificially increasing the amount of RNA or DNA is used. And since they are specific and strictly individual for each microorganism or living being due to the uniqueness of the nucleotide sequence in the fragments, an error in determining the target DNA or RNA is excluded.

The genetic information of any living organism is recorded in the DNA. This molecule consists of two chains intertwining into a single spiral. Some viruses (for example, COVID-19) store their code in RNA – a single strand of nucleotides.

Each organism, including viruses, bacteria and fungi, has a unique nucleotide sequence. It can be compared to a fingerprint or a scan of a person’s retina. The shortened nucleotide sequences characteristic of each type of pathogen (causative agent of dangerous diseases) are stored in the databases of scientific laboratories in the form of primers – separate DNA sections typical of only a particular pathogen.These regions are much shorter than any DNA molecule. Such primers attach to the DNA of the pathogen in the sample and, under the action of catalysts, reproduce their duplicates many times. This process is called “replication” – a multiple increase, duplication of the desired area until it becomes available for determination. The replication process is possible only if the pathogen is present in the DNA sample.

Advantages of the PCR method

  1. High specificity. The PCR method determines a predetermined sequence of nucleotides inherent in a specific pathogen.Thus, the specificity of the test tends to 100%. The risk of false positive results is eliminated.
  2. Sensitivity. For PCR, only a few DNA molecules of the pathogen (or even already inactive ones – destroyed viral particles that have retained specific DNA regions in sufficient quantities) are enough for it to be detected during the study.
  3. Carrying out speed. The laboratory receives the result of the PCR test in a few hours, the client – the very next day. Diagnostic speed is critical for timely treatment.For example, in the diagnosis of bacterial infections, classical sowing takes from several days, and with PCR analysis, the patient will be able to take action and start treatment in a day.
  4. Versatility. Any biomaterial is suitable for research: blood, urine, semen, sputum, pus, fluids from abscesses, etc. In addition, PCR is used in various fields of science and medicine, working even where other methods are powerless.
  5. Diagnosis of latent infections. PCR diagnostics determines the causative agent of the infection even during the incubation period and with the latent course of the disease.

What are the disadvantages

The only serious drawback associated with the polymerase chain reaction method is its high manufacturability. PCR studies require the strictest adherence to the rules and serious equipment of the laboratory complex. Not every laboratory can afford all the necessary equipment.

Indications for PCR analysis

PCR is one of the most popular diagnostic methods in medicine, and it is used in various fields:

  • Diagnostics of infectious diseases (hepatitis, HIV, TORCH infections and a huge variety of other types of pathogens).
  • Urogynecology (diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia, ureaplasma, mycoplasma, candida, gardnerella, herpes viruses). HPV, the human papillomavirus, plays an important role in women’s and men’s health. It has been proven that in women, oncogenic strains of this virus can cause cervical cancer.
  • Neonatology. There are a number of infections that can affect the fetus while still in the womb. Among them are herpes viruses, toxoplasma, rubella.PCR diagnostics allows you to correctly determine the tactics of management and the risks of intrauterine infection.
  • Respiratory diseases. In 2020, PCR diagnostics has become more relevant than ever and has demonstrated its indispensability and effectiveness. PCR analysis is the main test and the “gold standard” for diagnosing the Sars-Cov-2 (COVID-19) coronavirus infection, which has caused the largest pandemic in recent decades.
  • Genetics. Hereditary diseases and paternity are also diagnosed using the PCR method.

PCR tests are used wherever fast, accurate and reliable results are needed.

Preparation for the PCR test

Another important advantage of PCR analyzes is the lack of specific preparation for testing. It is enough to follow the standard recommendations of a specialist:

  • The analysis is taken in the morning on an empty stomach. At the same time, a number of genetic studies are carried out at any time convenient for the patient.
  • When taking an oropharyngeal smear analysis, it is necessary to maintain an interval with food and water intake of 3-4 hours before the test.
  • Before being tested for sexually transmitted infections, you must refrain from sexual activity for a day.
  • Do not use any antiviral drugs before testing.

You can always get detailed instructions on the rules for preparing for each test from your doctor or consultants on our hotline.

How is PCR analysis performed

Much time has passed since 1983, when this method was invented, and technology does not stand still.Today there are several different methods for performing a PCR test:

  1. With reverse transcription. The most common method for identifying a known RNA sequence includes amplification, pathogen detection and identification among specimens stored in a scientific file.
  2. Nested PCR (or “nested”) – is used to reduce the number of nonspecific reaction products and has two stages using two types of primers.
  3. Isothermal methods – do not require repetitive temperature cycles, are less energy intensive.
  4. Inverted PCR – used if there is only a short fragment of a known sequence, but it is necessary to determine adjacent sequences after inserting DNA into the genome.
  5. Real-time PCR is a method that allows you to determine not only the presence of a target nucleotide sequence in a sample, but also to measure the number of its copies after each amplification cycle, which makes it possible to conduct tests with a quantitative result

These are far from all the varieties of PCR technologies that exist today.Scientists are actively developing this important and promising area of ​​laboratory diagnostics, improving PCR methods, honing techniques and inventing new approaches.

PCR test results

The results of the analyzes carried out by the PCR method are known after one day. Sometimes it is possible to conduct an emergency test – it is often used in the provision of urgent medical care during hospitalization. Then the term of readiness of the result is reduced to a matter of hours.

The results of the PCR test will give precise information about which infection was detected.In quantitative testing, the analysis will also determine the viral or bacterial load on the body. In this case, the results will show the titer of the detected pathogen (its amount in one milliliter of the sample). Quantitative analysis is especially important in the diagnosis of diseases provoked by opportunistic microorganisms, which are normally present in almost every person. Such microorganisms pose a threat only with a large number, and in other cases they peacefully coexist with the carrier.

Author:
Baktyshev Alexey Ilyich, General practitioner (family doctor), ultrasound diagnostics doctor, chief physician

90,000 Rules for taking a PCR test for COVID-19.How to prepare for taking a PCR test for covid?

The statistics on the diagnosis of COVID-19 are such that false negative results range from 20% to 30%. Why is this happening and what to do to make the diagnosis as accurate as possible?
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is the “gold” standard in the diagnosis of viral infections and the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well. Under ideal conditions, the probability of making a correct diagnosis is 99%.

Reasons for a false negative PCR test for Covid-19

Correct diagnosis depends on a number of factors:

  • Places of taking biomaterial (from the nose there is a higher probability of detecting a virus than from the oropharynx).
  • Literacy of biomaterial sampling – it is necessary to carry out the sampling with brushes from the depths of the nose and throat, and not just from the mucous membrane of the wings of the nose or cheeks.
  • Correct transportation of the taken material.
  • Proper preparation for the test.

    In the PCR laboratory “Sheki” in Zaporozhye, diagnostics is carried out on modern equipment using tests approved by the Ministry of Health. Professional laboratory assistants who have undergone special training in working with this virus and the method of sampling biomaterial are working on diagnostics.Transportation is carried out in special containers.

If the doctor believes that the clinical picture and the PCR data do not correspond, then the patient is recommended to do an additional ELISA study to determine the antibodies to viral infection.
If PCR testing is done too late, when the virus has descended to the lungs, it can be difficult to detect it in the oropharynx. In this case, CT of the lungs and a test for antibodies to the virus are performed.As a rule, ELISA diagnostics is carried out no earlier than 5-7 days after the onset of active symptoms

Rules for taking the PCR test for Covid

Human factors are the most common reason for a false negative test result. Many external factors affect the concentration of the virus in the mouth, including smoking, the use of mouthwashes, medications for sore throats, and even regular chewing gum.

Therefore, before you go to the test for covid-19 in the PCR laboratory, find out what you cannot do the day before and directly on the day of testing for SARS-CoV-2.Required:

  • Give up alcoholic beverages, even beer and wine per day.
  • For 12 hours – do not use antiseptics and analgesics for the oral cavity (aerosols for irrigation of the throat, absorbable tablets, gargles).
  • For 4 hours – no smoking.
  • For 2 hours – do not brush your teeth or use a mouthwash.
  • For 2 hours – do not eat or drink (in case of severe thirst, you can take a couple of sips of clean water at least half an hour before taking smears).
  • Do not use chewing gum.

These simple rules will minimize the risk of getting a false negative PCR test result for Covid-19.

Where to take a PCR test for Covid in Zaporozhye?

The Sheki laboratory in Zaporozhye was verified and received permission to conduct PCR testing, as well as ELISA tests.

To do the tests, you must make an appointment in advance in order to exclude the accumulation of patients at the point of sampling of biomaterial.

You can sign up by calling +380954026345, +380974084372.

Biomaterial sampling is performed at the KU Regional Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital (separate entrance, new building). Blvd. Gvardeisky, 142.

You must have a passport of a citizen of Ukraine and an international passport if you are doing a test to obtain a certificate for traveling abroad.

About coronavirus testing methods

Moscow today is the leader among the world’s cities in testing citizens for the detection of coronavirus infection .For this, the capital uses the most modern diagnostic methods: PCR and ELISA (IHLA).

About PCR diagnostics

PCR (polymerase chain reaction) – a method that allows you to identify the presence of a virus in the body . For research, a swab is taken from the nose and oropharynx.

Such testing is carried out 90,094 to all 90,095 residents with symptoms of ARVI, 90,095 patients 90,094 with pneumonia , 90,094 living with people 90,095 who have already been diagnosed with coronavirus infection, as well as 90,094 to all patients of non-coronavirus hospitals in Moscow .

The analysis can be taken by the doctor of the clinic at home, in the outpatient clinic CT center or in the hospital .

To date, over 1.7 million PCR tests have been performed in Moscow in total.

According to the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor, if a patient is diagnosed with a coronavirus, two negative results are required for discharge and confirmation of recovery.

In accordance with the decree of the Mayor of Moscow, 90,094 employers are required to use the PCR method to test for coronavirus at least 10% of employees who physically visit enterprises every two weeks.

About ELISA testing

ELISA (IHLA) ( enzyme immunoassay and immunochemiluminescence analysis) is a laboratory study by blood from a vein , with the help of which a immune response to the virus is detected.

Analysis shows the amount of IgM and IgG antibodies . Immunoglobulins M indicate an active immune response, that is, that a person is now sick with coronavirus.Immunoglobulins G indicate that the person has already been ill, and he has developed immunity to the virus.

Since the beginning of the application of the ELISA method, more than 235 thousand studies have already been carried out. 90,095 Of these, more than 90,094 18 thousand 90,095 tests were made for 90,094 patients in non-sagging 90,095 inpatient departments.

ELISA tests are underway:

  • all employees of medical organizations Department of Health – weekly,
  • patients inpatients – on the day of hospitalization,
  • patients day hospitals and CT centers – at the first visit,
  • patients polyclinics (according to a doctor’s referral),

Moscow also additionally provides ELISA tests for patients of medical organizations of the Moscow region – up to 10 thousand.research per day. To date, 90,094 have already been carried out for them, more than 15 thousand tests .

Since May 15, Muscovites have been invited for ELISA testing at city polyclinics as part of the study of the formation of immunity to coronavirus . Mass ELISA testing will identify three categories of people:

  • Asymptomatic 90,095 carriers in whom the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but they can infect others without knowing it.
  • Patients with mild to moderate disease course, in whom two weeks have passed since the moment of infection.During this time, the coronavirus could descend into the lungs, and a conventional PCR test may not detect it. 90,023 90,022 Residents of the capital, 90,094 who have been ill with 90,095 COVID-19 and have developed immunity to the virus.

For the time being, you can take part in the screening by invitation only . Participants are randomly selected from all age groups and urban districts. Residents selected for the study receive SMS or e-mail. Those who have confirmed coronavirus, as well as those who are sick with ARVI, do not receive such invitations.

The message contains a link for online registration at the blood collection point – the registration is available within 3 days. The possibility of taking the test by everyone is currently being worked out. While the logistics and the scheme of work are being worked out. Initially, an invitation was sent to a group of 70 thousand people, to date, about 300 thousand invitations have been sent 90 095

Came and 90 094 passed the analysis – 90 094 more than 27 thousand people, 90 095 about 10 thousand morepeople

All 30 polyclinics where testing is carried out have strict operating rules. Blood donation is carried out 90,094 by appointment only , which allows you to avoid queues at medical institutions and prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. In front of the offices, stands are installed on which administrators print directions – this reduces the waiting time inside the office.

Since the beginning of the spread of coronavirus, polyclinics have taken all the necessary safety measures: closed-type bactericidal lamps for air disinfection, hand sanitizers have been installed, disinfection of all rooms is carried out at least twice a day, marks are made to maintain a 1.5-meter distance, along there is a separate entrance for patients with ARVI symptoms.

Also within the framework of public-private partnership Moscow will be ready in the near future, within the existing laboratory capacities, to provide part of them to employers who, on their own initiative, want to test their employees for immunity using the ELISA method. Employers will have to independently organize blood sampling and its delivery on a set date to one of the laboratories of the Moscow Department of Health (predetermined for the employer).Previously, it will be necessary to connect to the information system “Register of directions and registration of research results on COVID-19” to form electronic referrals for analysis, since this process is automated in the city. A detailed procedure for interaction will be presented by the Department of Healthcare in the near future.

About Using Tests Together

The two types of tests work best together. PCR -diagnostics allows you to catch the disease at an early stage , to see the virus when it is in the nasopharynx.At the same time, PCR tests have a rather large percentage of false results at later stages of the disease. At the same time, ELISA testing can serve as an additional tool. Such tests help to identify diseases when 2 weeks have passed since the moment of infection and the virus has descended into the lungs. In combination with CT , ELISA allows you to quickly determine the presence of changes in the lungs and apply the necessary therapy.

90,000 New data on coronavirus tests: what you need to know | World Events – Estimates and Forecasts from Germany and Europe | DW

There are more and more tests in the world that can determine the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the body.In mid-November, more than 400 different tests were presented on the market, which can be divided into three types: PCR test, antigen test and serological antibody test. The first and second detect the virus in the human body at the time of testing and indicate that it may be a potential source of infection. The third determines whether the person has been infected with the coronavirus before.

PCR test

To check whether a person is currently infected and can infect others, the PCR test, carried out by the polymerase chain reaction method, is mainly used.An alternative to it can be a test based on the method of isothermal DNA amplification (the formation of additional copies of sections of chromosomal DNA), which functions in a manner similar to PCR.

The doctor takes a sample from the patient for analysis if COVID-19 is suspected

In both cases, a sample of saliva or sputum from the lungs is taken from the patient using a cotton swab. Then one gene is extracted from the genetic material, it is multiplied, multiplying the number of its copies, and using a certain biochemical reaction called agarose electrophoresis, the presence of the virus in the genetic material is determined.

If no virus is found in the sample, this does not always mean that the person is not infected. The virus can be found in other parts of the body. This explains the fact that in some patients who have already been ill with COVID-19, the PCR test may still be positive later. Christian Drosten, a virologist at the Charite clinic in Berlin, compares this to trying to catch a goldfish out of an aquarium with a net. If the net is empty, this does not mean that there are no fish in the aquarium.

Rapid PCR test

Classic PCR tests should be performed in a laboratory. The advantage of this method is its high throughput, allowing thousands of samples to be tested simultaneously. At the same time, this means that the result usually has to wait for several days.

This problem is solved using the so-called rapid tests, rapid PCR tests. They differ from ordinary ones in that they are carried out not in a special laboratory, but right on the spot, using mobile equipment, and the test result is ready in 45 minutes.The disadvantage of rapid PCR tests is that with the equipment they need, no more than 80 tests can be done per day.

Coronavirus antigen test

Rapid tests for the presence of coronavirus antigen – there are several types of them – appeared in the summer. Some manufacturers claim that they are as easy to use as pregnancy tests. But it is not so. Most rapid tests for the presence of the virus in the body require a small portable device to prepare the sample for detection of the virus using a fluorescence enzyme immunoassay (FIA), so testing at home will not work.

And although additional devices are not needed for some express tests, they are still not available on the free market. This is due to the fact that in many countries, including Germany, in case of infection with SARS-CoV-2, it is imperative to report this to the special health department. So a quick test can only be done by a doctor.

Many of the tests by now achieve a fairly high degree of sensitivity, and their results are reliable at more than 98 percent.”Six out of seven tests carried out are almost as reliable as PCR tests – which makes it possible to exclude a false positive result. And their sensitivity is sufficient to at least detect cases of infection,” the Bundestag deputy and a medic wrote on Twitter. by education Karl Lauterbach with reference to the study of the accuracy of antigen tests conducted by the team of Christian Drosten. An unreferenced research preprint was published on November 13th on MedRXiv.

In general, antigen tests are carried out using the PCR technique, when a sample of saliva is taken from the patient’s throat using a cotton swab. The result is already known within 15 minutes. Flu tests are also performed using a similar method. But they are not as effective and only allow detecting every second carrier of the virus.

More and more doctors are in favor of the massive use of antigen tests, since there is a hope that this will reveal more infected people. These tests are most effective in people with high viral loads, who are “super-spreaders” that can infect large numbers of other people.

Antibody test detects past infection

A serological test (ELISA) detects the presence of antibodies in the blood that are produced by the immune system to fight the virus. To carry out them, it is necessary to take a blood sample, which will then undergo laboratory analysis. There is also a rapid coronavirus test that follows the same principle. A doctor can do it.

The presence of antibodies in the blood does not always mean that a person has already been infected and has immunity

As with a test that determines blood sugar in diabetics, a drop of blood is taken from a patient, placed in a special container and mixed with a reagent.

If the sample is painted in a different color, this, in principle, should mean that the person has already been ill and has developed immunity. However, the result is not always accurate. The test makers say that those who have had other coronavirus infections, but not COVID-19, may also have a positive reaction.

Who needs a test?

PCR and antigen tests help to establish chains of infection, find people who have come into contact with the carrier of the virus, place them in quarantine and isolate the distributor of the infection.

Serological tests are needed, first of all, for epidemiologists: they make it possible to establish how many people have already been asymptomatic, and to roughly estimate the period required for the formation of herd immunity. This helps policymakers take the right steps to lift the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. In addition, these tests make it possible to understand how effective the vaccine is.

Several university hospitals in Germany have begun large-scale studies in which they use serological tests to screen randomly selected participants for possible undiagnosed infection.This is done, among other things, for a better understanding of how the virus “works”.

Test Application: Country Strategies

Countries around the world treat coronavirus tests differently during a pandemic. It depends on the availability of tests and laboratories, on the resources at the disposal of the health system, and on how seriously the threat of the epidemic was taken in the beginning.

For example, South Korea, which survived the SARS epidemic in 2002, systematically and regardless of the presence of symptoms tested everyone for coronavirus, even at a time when the number of COVID-19 cases was relatively low.

In Germany, given its total population, many tests are carried out, but primarily those who have come into contact with infected people or have symptoms of the disease are tested. Other countries, such as the United States, are expanding testing capabilities amid growing numbers of cases. And in African countries, testing is not carried out at all.

See also:

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    Europe is swept by the second wave of coronavirus

    With the arrival of autumn, the number of new cases of coronavirus infection skyrocketed: by November, in many European countries, the daily increase was calculated in dozens thousands of cases.Amid the surge in COVID-19, more and more countries are re-imposing multiple restrictions in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent the collapse of the healthcare system.

  • How Europe is fighting the second wave of coronavirus

    Germany: soft lockdown

    By the beginning of November, Germany set a new anti-record for the number of infections – the daily increase in SARS-CoV-2 infected exceeded 20 thousand. In an attempt to reduce it, the authorities introduced a soft lockdown on November 2.Chancellor Angela Merkel called on the country’s residents to understand the need for the introduced anti-epidemiological measures. By mid-November, daily rates began to decline.

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    Germany: clubs and gyms are closed, restaurants are open only to take away

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    Russia: anti-records in the number of infections and deaths

    The daily increase in coronavirus infections in the Russian Federation exceeded 22 thousand by November. On November 17, an anti-death record was recorded in the country – 442 people died from the consequences of COVID-19 per day. The regions are struggling to cope with the second wave: the media write that in some hospitals beds and cots are placed in the corridors, patients do not have enough oxygen, and they have to wait for an ambulance for days.

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    Despite the anti-record number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the lockdown in the Russian Federation is not going to be announced yet, introducing point restrictions at the regional level … Some of the most severe are in Moscow. Since November 13, bars and restaurants in the capital cannot work at night, universities have been transferred to a remote location, and visits to “cultural, exhibition, educational events” are prohibited.The restrictions will last until January 15, 2021.

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    Against the background of the growth of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Belarus, its residents continue to go out to protest actions of many thousands. Lukashenko has already accused the protesters of complicating the fight against COVID-19. The authorities are silent about the mass detentions and arrests of demonstrators and the unsanitary conditions in the pre-trial detention center.By November 14, the daily increase in diseases exceeded 1200 cases. Many consider the statistics to be understated.

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    Ukraine: the film industry and restaurant business are afraid not to survive the weekend lockdown

    The level of daily coronavirus infections in Ukraine reached its maximum since the beginning of the pandemic by mid-November, exceeding 12 thousand. The country has introduced a weekend lockdown: only grocery stores, pharmacies, transport and gas stations are open on Saturdays and Sundays.Restaurants, bars and cafes can sell takeaway. Restaurateurs, film industry and trade representatives fear for their business.

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    Austria: hard lockdown until December 6

    In the fight against coronavirus, the Austrian authorities have introduced a hard lockdown. From November 17 to December 6, leaving the house is allowed only for certain reasons – for example, to visit grocery stores and pharmacies, travel to work, to see a doctor.Walking and jogging are also allowed. All shops except supermarkets are closed, pharmacies, banks and gas stations will continue to operate.

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    France is the fourth in the world in terms of the spread of coronavirus. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 1.9 million infections have been detected here. The country’s healthcare system is overloaded, some patients are transported to Germany for treatment.A lockdown has been in effect in the country since the end of October. Residents are given one hour a day to go to the store, see a doctor, or walk within a radius of no more than one kilometer from their home.

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    Author: Marina Baranovskaya

How and where to get tested

Page Content

PCR tests are one of the most common coronavirus tests required to travel from Barcelona to any country.

On this page you will find information about nasal PCR tests and saliva PCR tests, prices for PCR tests in Barcelona, ​​delivery times for COVID-19 test certificates and days and hours of operation of various medical centers and laboratories.We also provide you with spreadsheets where you can compare different test centers and find links to order a PCR test that meets your requirements.

Comparison tables of nasal PCR tests and saliva PCR tests, which you will find below, will allow you to familiarize yourself with them:

  • Various Testing Centers in Barcelona
  • Barcelona area where PCR testing centers are located
  • Working hours of testing centers
  • Cost of PCR analyzes
  • Results of PCR analysis and term of issuance of a tourist certificate
  • Nearest metro station from PCR testing center

Comparison Charts will also allow you to order a nasal PCR test or a saliva PCR test at a testing center that meets your space, run time, price, and delivery requirements.

We have also provided extensive information on nasal and salivary PCR tests under the tables, which we also recommend that you familiarize yourself with. You may prefer a saliva PCR test over a nasal PCR test, which can be inconvenient.


As each country has different COVID-19 test requirements, we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the latest entry regulations for your destination country to know what the coronavirus test requirements are before ordering a PCR test.You can do this on the official COVID-19 page in the destination country or on the official website of the destination country airport.


PCR test or RT-PCR – what’s the difference?

Some countries, airlines or other official websites indicate in their travel requirements that you need an RT-PCR test, while others indicate that you just need a PCR test. You may be wondering what is the difference between RT-PCR and PCR test. No. All PCR tests provided by the testing centers recommended on our pages are RT-PCR tests, which stands for Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction, the laboratory technique used.Both RT-PCR and PCR will be listed on your PCR test certificate, so you don’t have to worry about your airline or shipping company not seeing any of these terms on your certificate. We have confirmed this with diagnostic specialists in all laboratories that we have recommended on our website. All PCR test certificates provided by the testing centers recommended on our pages are FIT-TO-FLY, that is, they are valid for flights on airplanes and for any type of transport from one country to another.


The table below compares the different nasal PCR testing centers, their locations in Barcelona, ​​opening hours, test prices, delivery times and the nearest metro.

We have highlighted test centers in light green that do not require payment at the time of booking and in which you pay for the test at the test center registration desk before passing the test. Testing sites not highlighted in light green require prepayment when booking.

Also, if you need to make an appointment before visiting the testing center, we have indicated (Appt ) for the appointment next to the opening hours of the testing center. If an appointment is not required and you can come to the testing center at any time convenient for you during opening hours by confirming your reservation, we have indicated (NA ) for No appointment next to the testing center opening hours.

You can find out more and order the PCR test that best suits your needs by clicking on the “Click to order a PCR test at this clinic” button in the table below.

Table for comparing and booking PCR test (nasal swab) in Barcelona

The prices shown in the table are the standard prices that you will pay at a testing center, however, we have provided discounts for you on some testing centers, which are noted in the table below … The exact amount of the discount you will receive is shown on the testing center details page after you click on the “Click to order a PCR test at this clinic” button in the table below.

NA : No appointment required
Appt
: Prior appointment required
24/24 : Open 24 hours a day
No payment required when booking

Test Center

Operating hours

Results Delivery time and price

Metro

Sagrada Familia

Monday – Friday: 08:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Saturday: 08:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Sunday: 08:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

48 hours
€ 95.00
€ 90.00

12-24 hours
€ 130.00
€ 125.00

Sagrada Familia
(Blue line, L5) and
(Purple line, L2)

Gracia

Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 14:00 and 15:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

48 hours
€ 85.00
€ 80.00

12 hours
€ 120.00
€ 115.00

Diagonal
(Blue line, L5) and
(Green line, L3)

Gracia

Monday and Wednesday: 09:30 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Tuesday and Thursday: 09:30 – 12:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Friday: 09:30 – 14:00 (Appt)

Saturday and Sunday: 09:00 – 11:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

48 hours
€ 120.00
€ 115.00

24 hours
€ 140.00
€ 135.00

4 hours
€ 180.00
€ 175,00

Diagonal
(Blue line, L5) and
(Green line, L3)

Table for comparison and booking of saliva PCR test in Barcelona

The saliva test is significantly more convenient than the nasal test.Knowledgeable people prefer to use saliva analysis over nasal tests. Offers the same reliable travel certification results as a nasal test, but more convenient. Additional information on saliva PCR tests is provided below the table.

Appt : Prior registration required
No payment required when booking

Test Center

Operating hours

Results Delivery time and price

Metro

Testing is done in your home

Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 19:00 (Appt)

Saturday: 09:00 – 19:00
Sunday: 09:00 – 19:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

24 hours
€ 145.00
€ 140.00

At your home, tourist accommodation, hotel or anywhere else in Barcelona

Sagrada Familia

Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

48 hours
€ 95.00
€ 90.00

12-24 hours
€ 130.00
€ 125.00

Sagrada Familia
(Blue line, L5) and
(Purple line, L2)

Gracia

Monday and Wednesday: 09:30 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Tuesday and Thursday: 09:30 – 12:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 (Appt)

Friday: 09:30 – 14:00 (Appt)

Saturday and Sunday: 09:00 – 11:00 (Appt)

Special discount with our voucher

48 hours
€ 120.00
€ 115.00

24 hours
€ 140.00
€ 135.00

4 hours
€ 180.00
€ 175,00

Diagonal
(Blue line, L5) and
(Green line, L3)

The most common type of PCR test is a nasal swab, which can be very uncomfortable.However, there is another type of non-invasive and more convenient PCR test: the saliva PCR test. Many people do not realize that a saliva test is as valid as a nose test for issuing a travel certificate.

PCR tests using a nasal swab or saliva sample are molecular diagnostics that detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The technique used to analyze nasal or saliva samples, the specificity and reliability of the test are exactly the same for the nasal or salivary PCR test.Which means the end result will be exactly the same.

In a nasal PCR test, the swab is inserted quite deep into the nose, so it can be uncomfortable. When performing a saliva PCR test, all you need to do is provide a saliva sample by spitting it into a sample container. If you want to have a saliva test for PCR, make sure you do not smoke, eat or drink anything within 30 minutes before taking the test, as this may invalidate your test.

Why are nasal PCR tests offered more often than saliva tests?

PCR nasal swabs were the first PCR tests available and are therefore performed by all testing centers in Barcelona.As a result, the nasal swab PCR test is the most common PCR test. Also, most of the pictures mentioning PCR tests show nasal PCR tests, so you might think that the PCR test is necessarily done with a nasal swab.

Saliva PCR tests are taken by people “in the know”, or if you have children who need a PCR test, you may prefer a saliva PCR test. Note that children must be old enough to understand that they need to produce enough saliva and spit into the provided sample bottle.

As stated above, if you want to have a saliva test for PCR, make sure you do not smoke, eat or drink anything within 30 minutes before the test, as this may invalidate your test.

When reviewing the test requirements for coronavirus in the destination country, be sure to check if there is a note regarding the type of PCR test you are taking. If there is no clarification regarding the nasal or saliva test, then it can be concluded that both are accepted.

We have identified a laboratory that delivers saliva PCR test collection kits to your home in Barcelona, ​​whether you are staying at a hotel, a tourist apartment or at your home.

You can order a saliva PCR test at home online and you will receive a FIT-TO-FLY PCR test certificate to your email address 24 hours after the test.

Click here to learn more about home delivery saliva PCR kits.

In the table above for comparing and booking saliva PCR tests, you will also find testing centers in Barcelona that perform saliva tests.


Prices for PCR COVID-19 tests, delivery time of test results and opening days for receiving PCR test

As you can see in the comparison tables for nasal PCR tests and saliva PCR tests above, 90,084 prices for COVID-19 tests vary between testing centers in Barcelona and also depends on how quickly you want the test results and when you want to get tested. .

If you need a travel certificate with a negative coronavirus test result, you need to get tested 48-72 hours before leaving or arriving in the country you intend to travel to. Depending on the laboratory you choose from the tables above, you will receive PCR results within 2 hours and 48 hours after the analysis.

The PCR test, the results of which can be obtained within 48 hours after the analysis, is the cheapest PCR test.

However, if you urgently need to pass a PCR test in order to get a certificate for the COVID-19 test as soon as possible, the prices will be higher.

  • Normal price range for non-urgent PCR tests in Barcelona from Monday to Friday, test results available within 48 hours: €
    € 80.00 – € 90.00
  • Normal price range for urgent PCR tests in Barcelona from Monday to Friday, test results available within 24 hours: €
    € 115.00 – € 125.00
  • Typical price range for urgent PCR tests in Barcelona from Monday to Friday, test results available within 2-3 hours: €
    150.00

    PCR test certificates are delivered on working days at test centers , which means that if the lab is open Monday through Friday, you will receive test results Monday through Friday.However, some of the laboratories we have recommended above are open on Saturdays and Sundays and therefore produce results on weekends as well. If you need to get tested on Saturday or Sunday, or if you need a PCR test result on Saturday or Sunday for travel, be sure to order a PCR test at one of the testing centers open on weekends in Barcelona.

  • Typical price range for PCR tests on Saturday in Barcelona, ​​test results available within 24 or 48 hours depending on laboratory: €
    € 85.00 – € 130.00
  • Typical price range for urgent PCR analysis on Saturday in Barcelona, ​​test results available within 3 hours: €
    € 150.00 – € 155.00

    and with test results available after 3 hours: €
    155.00


    How to order a PCR test for COVID -19 in Barcelona

    In order to take a PCR test in Barcelona, ​​most medical centers and laboratories require you to order a PCR test in advance before the test, and do not accept visitors who have not ordered the test in advance.

    All testing centers we have listed in the comparison tables above require you to order a PCR test in advance. To get tested at the center, you will need to book the test online and receive a booking confirmation.

    Depending on the testing center, you will need to either pay for the test in advance on the testing center website, or pay directly at the testing center registration desk immediately before taking the test.

    In the tables above, we have highlighted test centers in light green that do not require payment at the time of booking, and where you will pay for the test at the test center registration desk before taking the test.Testing sites not highlighted in light green require prepayment when booking.

    When booking or after booking a test online , some testing centers will require you to make an appointment with . Instructions on how to make an appointment will be found on the booking confirmation. We strongly recommend that you make an appointment as early as possible to make sure your desired test date and appointment time are available. Don’t wait until the last minute to make an appointment.You will then need to arrive at the testing center at the appointed time with a printed booking confirmation or on your mobile phone.

    However, some other test centers do not require an appointment , and you can come to the test center at any time convenient for you during opening hours, provided that you have a printed booking confirmation or on your mobile phone.

    When an appointment is required, we list (Appt ) for the appointment next to the test center opening hours in the tables below.You will need to arrive at the testing center at the appointed time with a printed booking confirmation or on your mobile phone.

    If an appointment is not required, and you can come to the testing center at any time convenient for you during opening hours, having received a booking confirmation, we have indicated (NA ) for No appointment next to the testing center opening hours in the tables below.


    Benefits of having to make an appointment (Appt) at the test center:

  • Limited or no waiting time at the test center: you get tested at the appointed time and you do not need to queue before taking the test.
  • Disadvantages of having to make an appointment:

  • You must make an appointment in advance, either on the testing center website, or via a WhatsApp message, or by phone, which again increases your mental stress.
  • No flexibility, you must be at the test center on time by the scheduled time. You can’t just come to the testing center whenever you want.

    Advantages of not having to make an appointment (NA) at the testing center:

  • You can contact the testing center at any time convenient for you during its opening hours, which is convenient if you have a busy schedule and are not sure what be able to arrive on time for your appointment, or if you do not want to experience a lack of time.
  • There is no need to make an appointment, you order a test and just come to the testing center at any time convenient for you during its opening hours.

    Disadvantages of not having to make an appointment:

  • You may have to wait before getting tested if there are people in front of you.

    By clicking on the “click to book your test” links in the tables above, you will find more information about the testing center of your choice and how to order the COVID-19 PCR test.


    Where to order a nasal PCR test in Barcelona

    In the above table for nasal PCR test, you will be able to choose the testing center in Barcelona where you want to get tested, depending on the day and time you want to get tested, when you want to get the test results and the price you are willing to pay for the test. PCR. For your convenience, we have also indicated the nearest metro station. You can click on “Click to order a test” next to the PCR test option you are interested in to learn more about it and order a test.

    If you need quick PCR test results, we recommend that you pay attention to those places in the table above that provide test certificates after 3 hours or after 24 hours.

    If you need to get tested on weekends, see which locations are open on Saturday and Sunday.

    If you need to get tested outside of business hours, pay attention to the places open at night and early in the morning, 7 days a week.

    If you want to take a PCR test near your place of residence, look at the nearest metro station from each medical center.

    Finally, if you want a cheap PCR test, check out the cheapest PCR test.

    Scroll up to the Barcelona Nasal PCR Test Comparison Chart to order the test from a testing center that meets your needs.


    Summary

    Booking a PCR test in Barcelona is a simple process if you know where to get a PCR test in the city and what are the different options for a PCR test in terms of price, delivery of the PCR test certificate, day and time of operation and location of testing centers.We hope you have found where to get your PCR test in Barcelona using the information on this page.

    Otherwise, if you have any other questions related to where to get a PCR test in Barcelona, ​​and if your question is for personal use only, you can send us your request using the form below.

    Comments or questions about coronavirus tests


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  • Good hour: Rospotrebnadzor has registered a rapid test for COVID-19 | Articles

    In early February, Rospotrebnadzor registered a domestic rapid test for detecting coronavirus, which gives a result four times faster than PCR analysis.Izvestia was informed about this by the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, which developed a set of reagents. The accuracy and cost of the regular and accelerated test is the same, the scientists say. The rapid test was created thanks to the scaling up of the production of a special enzyme, which is now being produced in Russia.

    Quadruple acceleration

    Scientists have been able to multiply the duration of the analysis for coronavirus due to an enzyme called Bst polymerase, which greatly speeds up the reaction.Previously, this enzyme was mainly used for research purposes, explained Kamil Khafizov, one of the main developers of the new test, head of the scientific group for the development of new methods for diagnosing human diseases at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor.

    – This is also a polymerase (like the enzyme required for a conventional PCR test – Izvestia), but it has its own peculiarities. For example, when carrying out a conventional PCR, you need to cycle the temperature all the time. And here the temperature is the same, so time is not wasted on changing it.The whole reaction takes 15–20 minutes, as opposed to 1.5–2 hours for PCR, – Kamil Khafizov explained.

    Photo: Izvestia / Zurab Javakhadze

    E The express test is called “AmpliSens SARS-CoV-2-IT”. It gives the result in an hour and a half instead of 4-5 hours for a conventional PCR analysis. It takes 45 minutes to isolate nucleic acids (this is a common step for both a regular PCR test and an accelerated one), 5 minutes for reverse transcription, and 15–20 minutes for the amplification itself (for a PCR test, this part takes 2 hours).

    The new test is performed on the same equipment as conventional PCR and can be performed by the same personnel. The cost of the systems is also the same.

    Increased capacity

    Previously, such a test could not be created in Russia due to the lack of Bst polymerase. The purchase of the enzyme abroad led to a serious rise in the price of the test: only Bst polymerase cost about the same as the PCR analysis itself. In addition, there were several times fewer people who needed to be tested.

    The accuracy of the new test is approximately the same as the previous one, so it can be considered a main analysis, and not an additional study.

    “Where a smear with a high or medium viral load is analyzed, both tests (both PCR and express) work approximately the same,” Kamil Khafizov explained. – Where the number of viral particles in the smear is scanty, the slow PCR test begins to win. On the other hand, the express turned out to be more specific. That is, in theory, it gives fewer false positives.

    While the rapid test detects one fragment of the coronavirus, Kamil Khafizov said. Therefore, there is a possibility that the mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2 will not be determined by the analysis. A false negative result is possible if the changes affect the part of the virus that is used in the test system. This was previously warned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Photo: RIA Novosti / Evgeny Odinokov

    Currently, the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology is developing another version of an express test that will determine SARS-CoV-2 by two fragments, Kamil Khafizov said.

    – If one “spoils”, then the second will save, – explained Khafizov. “This will be the same test, but with two test sites. If the coronavirus mutates, then we will not have to withdraw our test, take it out of production. If one fragment does not give a signal, then another will work, giving the manufacturer time to “correct” the situation.

    Rapid methods for detecting coronavirus in a smear are really important and necessary, said Pavel Volchkov, head of the MIPT genomic engineering laboratory.

    – Scientists are always challenged to make a test that is even faster. And there was always a problem with rapid tests: they were seriously more expensive than PCR. The fact that cheap express tests have appeared on the Russian market is, of course, good, the expert said.

    Hours count

    If you usually need to wait two days for the results of the analysis for coronavirus, then saving four hours is unlikely to have any effect, the director of the Scientific and Clinical Center for Precision and Regenerative Medicine of Kazan Federal University (the university is a project participant improving the competitiveness of education “5-100”) Albert Rizvanov.

    – The difficulty is that most of the time is consumed by the logistics of samples and getting the diagnosis to the patient. Then, for people who are accustomed to working with the PCR test, it will be quite difficult to master the new research protocol. This is the difficulty of introducing a new test, the expert added.

    Photo: Izvestia / Dmitry Korotaev

    Rospotrebnadzor stressed that the express test is especially needed for those places where a quick result or high throughput is required.It is fundamentally important for hospitals to quickly understand whether the patient is admitted according to the “profile” and whether it is necessary to keep him for an extra four hours, waiting for results when there is an acute shortage of beds. The test is also required for streaming labs with a large number of orders. Rapid tests are useful when performing analyzes at airports and train stations.

    In November last year, Rospotrebnadzor reduced the maximum time for checking tests for coronavirus from three days to two. The standard of 48 hours for obtaining a test result for coronavirus infection is too high, President Vladimir Putin said later at a meeting with government members on the same day.The head of state noted that he considers it necessary to shorten this period.

    COVID-19 Diagnostics

    At the moment, Medgard offers the following research methods for COVID-19, or rather SARS-CoV-2

    • Rapid test for antibodies of immunoglobulins M and G

      Capillary blood is taken for analysis.The research method is immunochromatographic. Analysis results will be ready in 10 minutes. Test production – China. The test can detect two types of antibodies: IgM and IgG. Antibodies to immunoglobulin M appear in the body shortly after infection, and then their concentration drops. Antibodies to immunoglobulin G are produced at a late stage and remain in the blood for a long time after recovery. Thus, with the help of the test, you can find out if a person is sick with COVID-19 at the moment or if he has already suffered an infection and has immunity.If the person was not sick or not sick at the moment, the test will show a negative result


      There is a special offer for families – 10% discount with simultaneous delivery of tests by members of the same family from 3 people

      • PCR diagnostics (polymerase chain reaction) with throat swab

      The result will be ready in 3 days, excluding the day of sampling. The method shows the presence or absence of a virus in the body, starting from 2-3 days of infection

      LDK Medgard carries out the sampling of the analysis, but also analyzes the laboratory Science, CITILAB

      It is possible to conduct an accelerated PCR analysis with the result on the same or the next day, depending on what time the analysis was taken.In this case, the extra charge for urgency is 10% 90 085

      There is a special offer for families – a 10% discount with simultaneous delivery of tests by members of the same family from 3 people

      • Rapid test for Ag antigen by immunochromatographic method

        The study is carried out on the basis of a swab taken from the oropharynx. The result will be ready in 5-8 minutes. Test production – South Korea. The analysis shows the presence or absence of an antigen (virus) in the body on the 2-3 day of infection, in the latency period, when there are no symptoms of the disease yet.In fact, this analysis is an analogue of PCR, only you get the result immediately, you do not need to wait for several days

        There is a special offer for families – a 10% discount with simultaneous delivery of tests by members of the same family from 3 people

        • Antibodies to coronavirus IgG, quantitative (venous blood)

        Shows that you have already been ill and how strongly your body reacted

        • Antibodies to coronavirus IgM, qualitative (venous blood)

        Shows if you are sick now

        • Antibodies to coronavirus IgM qualitatively and IgG quantitatively (venous blood)

        Shows whether you are sick now, whether your body has begun to give an immune response and how strong

        In terms of time, the last 3 analyzes are prepared up to 2 days.

        For legal entities, prices differ significantly. There is a flexible system of discounts

        Mandatory pre-registration by phone (8422) 44-06-44

        To ensure the safety of patients and employees of Medgard LDK, those wishing to take tests can apply through a separate entrance (3rd entrance). Once again, we draw your attention to the fact that it makes sense to undergo these types of diagnostics for people without obvious clinical symptoms.

        Cost

        Antibodies to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), IgG, quantitative

        930 ₽

        Antibodies to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), IgM, quality

        930 ₽

        Antibodies to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), IgM qualitatively and IgG quantitatively

        1 680 ₽

        PCR diagnostics for coronavirus COVID-19 with throat swab

        1 450 ₽

        PCR diagnostics for coronavirus COVID-19 with throat swab with the issuance of a certificate in English

        1 650 ₽

        Rapid test for antigen SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), quality

        1,590 ₽

        Determination of antibodies (IgM, IgG) of coronavirus (Covid-19) in blood

        1 600 ₽

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        Reception leads

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