The hybrid testing modes do not impact the sensitivity of COVID-19 nucleic acid tests: national health authority
Global Times
Source:Global Times Published: 2020/6/28 13:29:21
China's national health authority said the country's "hybrid test" method, used throughout Wuhan and in Beijing's large-scale COVID-19 screening sites, should not impact the sensibility of the tests.
The National Health Commission (NHC) announces on SinaWeibo on Sunday that there are two modes of hybrid tests; that is, the first mode uses mixed up samples from 3-5 people in one sampling tube, whereas the second takes the same volume of samples from 3-5 people and involves mixing them together.
The first mode has been widely used in Beijing's screening sites, and will not affect the sensitivity of the test, according to the NHC.
The second mode, in contrast, may affect the sensitivity of the test, albeit in a limited fashion, the NHC said.
For example, if during the sample collecting procedure there are five people who are divided into one group, an identifying bar code will be attached to each person's sampling tube to avoid from being mixed up with others. During the analysis procedure, attention is key to avoiding mistakes and confusing one people's sample as that from someone else, the NHC noted.
Hybrid testing has largely enhanced Beijing's COVID-19 nucleic acid testing capacity. For example, the testing capacity of medical institutes in the capital is 200,000 people per day, but the hybrid test mode allows expansion to up to 2 million people per day, without requiring extra hands, according to the NHC.
The NHC also noted that hybrid testing can only be applied in areas with low infection risk. In fact, individuals who show symptoms in clinics, and who are in close contact with confirmed patients, can only be tested individually.
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