Nasopharyngeal aspirates should be collected in a leukens trap and immediately transported to the laboratory.
Swabs should be collected using white sterile Rayon or Dacron tipped swabs and placed immediately into universal transport media (UTM). Check that the cap of the UTM tube is secure and transport directly to the laboratory.
Do not use calcium alginate or wooden shaft swabs for specimen collection. Deliver specimens in sealed biohazard bags to the laboratory with the appropriate test requisition.
Unacceptable Conditions
Swab specimens not received in universal transport medium (UTM). Do not use calcium alginate or wooden shaft swabs for specimen collection.
Storage/Transport Temperature
Within the hospital: Immediately submit specimen to the laboratory at room temperature
COVID specimens from the following locations can be sent through the pneumatic tube system to Central Lab Services. All COVID specimens in pneumatic tube system should be double bagged.
ED
All University City inpatient locations
These specimens should be hand-delivered to Central Lab services
Specimens from Buerger Center locations
All critical specimens such as:
difficult to collect samples,
trauma patient samples
OR patient samples where quick turnaround time of result is need
sample from patient receiving AGPs where result is needed for placement
For offsite locations: Transport specimens at 4°C
Consult laboratory if necessary.
Phlebotomy Draw
No
Performing Lab
Infectious Disease Diagnostics Laboratory
Performed
Daily
Methodology
Cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative utilizes fully automated sample preparation (nucleic acid extraction and purification) followed by PCR amplification of target-specific forward and reverse primers for the ORF1 a/b non-structural region that is unique to SARS-CoV-2. Detection of targets is via unquenched fluorescent signal.
Reported
Daily
Synonyms
COVID
COVID-19
Available STAT
No
Reflex Testing
N/A
Vendor
Roche Molecular Diagnostics
Interpretive Data
If positive, results are reported as detected.
Reference Ranges
Not detected or negative.
CPT Codes
87635
Interpretive Data
If positive, results are reported as detected.
Collection
Patient Preparation
For collection materials:
Stat need - Call MDT (x43517)
Non urgent - place order through ServiceNow portal
Use the following Workday numbers for requests:
191184 – NP Swab
191185 – UTM
191192 - Anterior Nares swab
178256 – Biohazard Bag
Collect
Acceptable sources:
PREFERRED - NP aspirate: collected in Leukens container
PREFERRED - Nasopharyngeal (NP) Swab: Specimen is obtained from the posterior nasopharynx
Nasal Swab: Synonymous with 'anterior nares’ and 'nares'. Specimen is obtained from the anterior nares (i.e. at least 1cm inside the nostril)
Tracheal aspirate: collected in Leukens container
Broncheoalveolar lavage (BAL)
If SARS-CoV-2 order is combined with other viral rerspiratory testing, only NP swab and NP aspirate are acceptable
Nasopharyngeal aspirates should be collected in a leukens trap and immediately transported to the laboratory.
Swabs should be collected using white sterile Rayon or Dacron tipped swabs and placed immediately into universal transport media (UTM). Check that the cap of the UTM tube is secure and transport directly to the laboratory.
Do not use calcium alginate or wooden shaft swabs for specimen collection. Deliver specimens in sealed biohazard bags to the laboratory with the appropriate test requisition.
Unacceptable Conditions
Swab specimens not received in universal transport medium (UTM). Do not use calcium alginate or wooden shaft swabs for specimen collection.
Storage/Transport Temperature
Within the hospital: Immediately submit specimen to the laboratory at room temperature
COVID specimens from the following locations can be sent through the pneumatic tube system to Central Lab Services. All COVID specimens in pneumatic tube system should be double bagged.
ED
All University City inpatient locations
These specimens should be hand-delivered to Central Lab services
Specimens from Buerger Center locations
All critical specimens such as:
difficult to collect samples,
trauma patient samples
OR patient samples where quick turnaround time of result is need
sample from patient receiving AGPs where result is needed for placement
For offsite locations: Transport specimens at 4°C
Consult laboratory if necessary.
Phlebotomy Draw
No
Ordering
Performing Lab
Infectious Disease Diagnostics Laboratory
Performed
Daily
Methodology
Cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative utilizes fully automated sample preparation (nucleic acid extraction and purification) followed by PCR amplification of target-specific forward and reverse primers for the ORF1 a/b non-structural region that is unique to SARS-CoV-2. Detection of targets is via unquenched fluorescent signal.
