translated from Spanish: Look at how swab to detect the coronavirus

Coronavirus has led everyone to perform different tests to try to detect or at least differentiate those who may not have the virus, and that is why there are the aforementioned “quick tests”. However, there is one that is much more accurate and with little margin for error and is the swab. The steps to follow for the detection of COVID-19 are not many, but you have to divide them into two stages: one is to diagnose the disease at the time, while the rest is used to know if one person has already been infected (serology, where antibodies are detected).

An image that impresses, but does not generate pain according to those who submitted to it. Photo: Twitter @franbade_

However, in both cases the work is the same and has to do with getting swab. It consists of passing a sterile swab through each nostril and the pharynx for just a few seconds, with the aim of taking the necessary samples and then being sent to the laboratory where the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique is performed.

This is where it is known whether a person is positive for coronavirus and, as mentioned earlier, in case it may have been infected in the past, the patient’s sample is sent and serology is performed, where the patient’s blood sample is taken and the presence of antibodies is detected. The hisbing test, including the samples being taken and sent to the lab, has an estimated test time of six to eight hours to detect the pathogen to diagnose the disease. In Argentina, by order of the Ministry of Health, there are four requirements to go through this examination and it has to do with the presence of the initial symptoms (fever, dry cough, sore throat, lack of smell and taste), essential workers with two or more symptoms mentioned, workers in enclosed spaces with two or more symptoms and one who has been in close contact with a patient of COVID-19 confirmed.

Original source in Spanish