Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

June 4, 2020

Swabs Collected by Patients or Health Care Workers for SARS-CoV-2 Testing

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  • Tu et al. evaluated the sensitivity of non-nasopharyngeal swabs self-collected by patients, compared to nasopharynx swabs collected by a health care worker, for the diagnosis of COVID-19. The estimated sensitivities of the tongue, nasal, and mid-turbinate self-collected samples were 89.8% (97.5%CI 78.2-100.0), 94.0% (83.8-100.0), and 96.2% (87.0-100.0), respectively. 

Tu et al. (June 3, 2020). Swabs Collected by Patients or Health Care Workers for SARS-CoV-2 Testing. The New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2016321