Are you sure you have done the right thing about the correct use of the throat swab?

With the spread of the epidemic around the world, more and more people do nucleic acid testing, but the correct method of throat swab sampling may not be noticed.

The sampler stands beside the examinee for sampling and requires the examinee to pull down the mask to expose only the nostrils. Once sneezing reflex occurs, the examinee can use an elbow or paper towel to cover it, and the sampler is not in front of the examinee, so the exposure risk is relatively low.

The sampler gently holds the head of the person to be collected with one hand, sticks the swab to the nostril with the other hand, and slowly goes back along the bottom of the lower nasal meatus. Because the nasal meatus is curved, it is not allowed to use too much force to avoid traumatic bleeding. When the top of the swab reaches the back wall of the nasopharyngeal cavity, gently rotate it for one week. In case of reflex cough, it should be stopped for a minute, then slowly take out the swab and immerse the swab head into a tube containing 2∽3mL virus preservation solution.

“One insertion, two stops, and three rotations”-measure the distance from the tip of the nose to the front of the ear, and insert half of the length, which is usually about 4 cm for adults; Stay for 15-30 seconds to absorb nasopharyngeal secretions, depending on the tolerance of the subject, and the minimum stay time is not less than 3 seconds; Rotate the nasopharyngeal swab for one week and then slowly take it out.