Microbiology, Immunology, Mission Bay, Parnassus, and Mount Zion
Performed
Daily
Methodology
rRT-PCR
Reported
Inpatients/ED and high risk outpatients: < 24 hrs
Low-risk outpatients and outreach: < 72 hrs
Non-traditional sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times (see collection tab)
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
Synonyms
SARS-CoV-2019
nCoV-2019
coronavirus
COVID
P371
Sample Type
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
BAL, Endotracheal Aspirate
Note: These samples require special processing and may have extended turnaround time; Stat processing is not possible for these sample types
Other sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times
Collect
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
Other samples: sterile container
If ordering a concurrent Respiratory Viral Panel, collect only one swab for both Respiratory Viral Panel and COVID-19 PCR orders. Nasopharyngeal swab will provide optimal sensitivity.
Note:
Flocked tip swabs are preferred, however, non-flocked tip synthetic swabs (Dacron, Rayon) are acceptable.
Swabs with cotton tips or wood shafts are NOT acceptable.
Acceptable media types include Universal Transport Medium (UTM), Viral Transport Medium (VTM), normal saline, Starswab media, Eswab, and DNA/RNA shield.
PBS is NOT acceptable.
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Test Code
COV19
Sendout
If in-house capacity is exceeded, testing may be sent out to an external reference laboratory.
Performing Lab
Microbiology, Immunology, Mission Bay, Parnassus, and Mount Zion
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Reference Interval
Not detected
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
Note:
Flocked tip swabs are preferred, however, non-flocked tip synthetic swabs (Dacron, Rayon) are acceptable.
Swabs with cotton tips or wood shafts are NOT acceptable.
Acceptable media types include Universal Transport Medium (UTM), Viral Transport Medium (VTM), normal saline, Starswab media, Eswab, and DNA/RNA shield.
PBS is NOT acceptable.
Collect
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
Other samples: sterile container
If ordering a concurrent Respiratory Viral Panel, collect only one swab for both Respiratory Viral Panel and COVID-19 PCR orders. Nasopharyngeal swab will provide optimal sensitivity.
Sample Type
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
BAL, Endotracheal Aspirate
Note: These samples require special processing and may have extended turnaround time; Stat processing is not possible for these sample types
Other sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Reference Interval
Not detected
Synonyms
SARS-CoV-2019
nCoV-2019
coronavirus
COVID
P371
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Reported
Inpatients/ED and high risk outpatients: < 24 hrs
Low-risk outpatients and outreach: < 72 hrs
Non-traditional sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times (see collection tab)
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
Microbiology, Immunology, Mission Bay, Parnassus, and Mount Zion
Performed
Daily
Methodology
rRT-PCR
Reported
Inpatients/ED and high risk outpatients: < 24 hrs
Low-risk outpatients and outreach: < 72 hrs
Non-traditional sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times (see collection tab)
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
Synonyms
SARS-CoV-2019
nCoV-2019
coronavirus
COVID
P371
Collection
Sample Type
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
BAL, Endotracheal Aspirate
Note: These samples require special processing and may have extended turnaround time; Stat processing is not possible for these sample types
Other sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times
Collect
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
Other samples: sterile container
If ordering a concurrent Respiratory Viral Panel, collect only one swab for both Respiratory Viral Panel and COVID-19 PCR orders. Nasopharyngeal swab will provide optimal sensitivity.
Note:
Flocked tip swabs are preferred, however, non-flocked tip synthetic swabs (Dacron, Rayon) are acceptable.
Swabs with cotton tips or wood shafts are NOT acceptable.
Acceptable media types include Universal Transport Medium (UTM), Viral Transport Medium (VTM), normal saline, Starswab media, Eswab, and DNA/RNA shield.
PBS is NOT acceptable.
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Processing
Test Code
COV19
Sendout
If in-house capacity is exceeded, testing may be sent out to an external reference laboratory.
Performing Lab
Microbiology, Immunology, Mission Bay, Parnassus, and Mount Zion
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Result Interpretation
Reference Interval
Not detected
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
Note:
Flocked tip swabs are preferred, however, non-flocked tip synthetic swabs (Dacron, Rayon) are acceptable.
Swabs with cotton tips or wood shafts are NOT acceptable.
Acceptable media types include Universal Transport Medium (UTM), Viral Transport Medium (VTM), normal saline, Starswab media, Eswab, and DNA/RNA shield.
PBS is NOT acceptable.
Collect
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
Other samples: sterile container
If ordering a concurrent Respiratory Viral Panel, collect only one swab for both Respiratory Viral Panel and COVID-19 PCR orders. Nasopharyngeal swab will provide optimal sensitivity.
Sample Type
Combined Oropharyngeal/Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal/Mid-turbinate nasal Swab in Transport Media, preferred
Single Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal Swab in Transport Media, acceptable
Self Collected Bilateral Anterior Nares Swab in Transport Media, accaptable (Collection must be directly observed by a healthcare provider in a clinical environment or performed by the patient unobserved after instructions are provided. Accurate results are dependent on correct sample collection, and providers should use medical judgement to determine the appropriate sampling method for their patients)
BAL, Endotracheal Aspirate
Note: These samples require special processing and may have extended turnaround time; Stat processing is not possible for these sample types
Other sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times
Unacceptable Conditions
BAL and Endotracheal aspirate samples should NOT be submitted in UTM.
Reference Interval
Not detected
Synonyms
SARS-CoV-2019
nCoV-2019
coronavirus
COVID
P371
Storage/Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Stability (from collection to initiation)
Refrigerated: 72 hours
Frozen (-70C): 1 month
Reported
Inpatients/ED and high risk outpatients: < 24 hrs
Low-risk outpatients and outreach: < 72 hrs
Non-traditional sample types require pre-approval and may have extended turnaround times (see collection tab)
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Additional Information
Negative results do not preclude respiratory virus infection and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment or other management decisions.
Please DO NOT call the laboratory for results. UCSF results will be released to APeX as soon as they are available. For outside clients, please contact your internal Clinical Laboratory, as results will be faxed directly to them.
Please see 'Collection' tab for acceptable swab and media types.
Additional general information on COVID-19 laboratory testing can be found on our COVID-19 web page.
