COVID-19 PCR Tests: All You Need to Know

 

COVID-19 PCR for travel

What is a PCR test?

Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR. This test looks for genetic material from a particular organism, like a virus. If you are infected with a virus at the time of the test, the test will reveal its presence. Even after you are no longer infected, the test may still be able to find remnants of the virus.

A COVID-19 PCR test: What is it?

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has genetic material (ribonucleic acid or RNA), which can be found in your upper respiratory specimen when you take the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19. Small amounts of RNA from specimens are amplified using PCR technology into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which is replicated until SARS-CoV-2 is detectable, if present. Since it was permitted to be used in February 2020, the PCR test has served as the gold standard for diagnosing COVID-19. It is trustworthy and true.

Who needs to have their COVID-19 tested?

If you experience any of the following signs, your doctor may advise testing for COVID-19:

●        chills or a fever.

●        Cough.

●        breathing problems or shortness of breath.

●        Fatigue.

●        Body or muscle aches.

●        Headache.

●        new loss of smell or taste.

●        painful throat

●        runny or congested nose.

●        sickness or vomiting

●        Diarrhea.

The COVID-19 PCR test involves these three essential steps:

1. Sample collection: A medical professional draws respiratory fluid from your nose with a swab. A swab is a long, flexible stick with a soft tip that you insert into your nose. There are various types of nose swabs, such as nasal swabs, which take a sample right inside your nostrils, and nasopharyngeal swabs, which take a sample further into the nasal cavity. Both kinds of swabs are adequate for gathering samples for the COVID-19 PCR test. The swab is placed in a tube after collection and sent to a lab.
   
   
2. Extraction: After receiving a sample, a laboratory scientist separates (extracts) the genetic material from the other components of the sample.
   
   
3. PCR: The following step, known as the thermal cycler, involves the use of specialized chemicals, enzymes, and a PCR machine. The targeted genetic material is amplified (amount increases) in the test tube with each heating and cooling cycle. A small portion of the genetic makeup of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been replicated millions of times in the test tube after many cycles. If SARS-CoV-2 is present in the sample, one of the chemicals in the tube causes a fluorescent light to appear. When sufficiently amplified, the signal is detectable by the PCR machine. To interpret the signal as a positive test result, researchers use specialized software.

What do the results of a COVID-19 PCR test mean?

A positive test result indicates that you most likely have SARS-CoV-2 infection. This might be caused by an infection that is asymptomatic, but if you experience symptoms, the infection is known as COVID-19. Most illnesses are minor, allowing patients to safely recover at home without medical attention. If your symptoms worsen or if you have any questions or concerns, speak with your healthcare provider.

A negative test result indicates that you were most likely free of SARS-CoV-2 infection when your specimen was taken. However, it is possible to have COVID-19 and the test not find the virus. This might occur, for instance, if you recently contracted COVID-19 but haven't yet shown any symptoms, or it might occur if you had the infection for longer than a week before the test. A negative test doesn't guarantee your safety for the foreseeable future; you could be exposed to COVID-19 after your test, contract the virus, and infect others with SARS-Cov-2.