There are different degrees of discomfort when collecting nasopharyngeal swabs and oropharyngeal swabs. Are there other comfortable sampling sites to choose from?
At present, the new coronavirus nucleic acid detection mainly collects the following samples:
1. Nasopharyngeal swab.
2. Oropharyngeal swab.
3. Deeply cough sputum.
4. Nasopharyngeal or respiratory tract extracts.
5. Bronchial lavage fluid.
6. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Except for some special cases, nasopharyngeal swabs and oropharyngeal swabs are the most commonly collected samples.
Why do some people take nasopharyngeal swabs, while others take oropharyngeal swabs?
1. It is required to give priority to the collection of nasopharyngeal swabs, and to collect oropharyngeal swabs when nasopharyngeal swabs cannot be collected.
2. Asymptomatic infected persons, entry personnel, and close contacts should collect nasopharyngeal swabs for nucleic acid testing during isolation and observation.
3. When nucleic acid testing is carried out in low-risk areas, oropharyngeal swabs are often collected.
The nose and mouth are also respiratory organs, so why should nasopharyngeal swabs be taken first? What are the advantages of nasopharyngeal swabs over oropharyngeal swabs?
Studies have shown that nasopharyngeal swabs have a higher detection rate of new coronavirus nucleic acid than oropharyngeal swabs, because the nasopharyngeal cavity is relatively closed and the virus is easier to enrich. But whether it is an oropharyngeal swab or a nasopharyngeal swab, the most important thing is that the collection action must be standardized, in place, and in line with the standards. As long as the collection is standardized, both methods can achieve the expected detection purpose.
Can an oropharyngeal swab be collected if I have nasal conditions such as rhinitis?
Oropharyngeal swabs should be collected if the following relevant medical history and risk factors are present.
1. Patients with severe allergic rhinitis;
2. Deformities in the nasal cavity, such as nasal septum curvature;
3. Those who have recent symptoms of nasal bleeding;
4. Those who have completed nasal surgery within 3 months;
5. Have blood disease or take anticoagulant drugs for a long time.
What should I pay attention to before taking an oropharyngeal swab?
Try to avoid eating 2 hours before collecting oropharyngeal swabs to avoid irritating vomiting; 30 minutes before sampling, you should not smoke, drink, chew gum, etc., so as to avoid frequent swallowing, which will affect the virus enrichment in the throat and affect the test results.
Recently, there have been cases of infection with the new coronavirus due to improper protection during nucleic acid testing in some areas. Therefore, when doing nucleic acid testing, you must pay attention to the following ten points:
1. When going to the sampling point, please wear a mask in the whole process, and bring an appropriate amount of wet wipes (alcohol wipes or ordinary wipes), spare masks, ID cards, mobile phones, etc.;
2. It is best to take a private car or ride or walk (especially in medium and high risk areas);
3. Follow the command and guidance of the on-site staff, partition and wait in line;
4. Do not crowd when queuing and keep a safe distance;
5. Follow cough etiquette, that is, when coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or a handkerchief to prevent the spread of germs. If you don’t have time to take a tissue or a handkerchief, you can cover your mouth and nose with the inside of the upper part of the sleeve of your clothes. Do not use your hands directly. Cover your mouth and nose; throw the used tissue directly into the trash can, wash your hands or wipe your hands with a wet tissue immediately after coughing or sneezing, and avoid coughing or sneezing at others;
6. When waiting, do not chat with others; do not speak loudly to prevent saliva from splashing;
7. Do not touch public items with your hands. If you touch them, please wash your hands in time or use wet wipes after touching them;
8. In order to avoid irritation and vomiting during oropharyngeal swab sampling, do not eat 2 hours before sampling; in order to avoid affecting the test results, do not smoke, drink or chew gum 30 minutes before sampling;
9. Wear spare masks after sampling, put the discarded masks into the designated trash can, and leave the sampling point immediately to avoid spitting and staying around the collection point;
10. After returning home, please wash your hands immediately, and use wet wipes to wipe your mobile phone, ID card and other items if necessary.
