LabGenics
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LabGenics is one of the Certified Covid-19 PCR laboratories in the Sultanate of Oman. Since establishment, hundreds of thousands of PCR tests were delivered, they have been performed in collaboration with many of the best hospitals in Oman
What is a PCR test?
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is performed to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you are infected at the time of the test. The test could also detect fragments of virus even after you are no longer infected.
What is a COVID-19 PCR test?
A PCR test for COVID-19 is a test used to diagnosis people who are currently infected with SARS-CoV-2, which is the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The PCR test is the “gold standard” test for diagnosing COVID-19 because it’s the most accurate and reliable test.
How does the COVID-19 PCR test compare with other available COVID-19 tests?
Basically, there are two types of tests, diagnostic tests and antibody tests. Diagnostic tests tell you if you have an active (current) COVID-19 infection. Antibody tests tell you that you already had COVID-19.
How does a COVID-19 PCR test work?
There are three key steps to the COVID-19 PCR test:
1 SAMPLE COLLECTION
Sample collection is done using a swab to collect respiratory material found in your nose. A swab contains a soft tip on a long, flexible stick that is inserted into your nose. There are different types of nose swabs including nasal swabs that collect a sample immediately inside your nostrils and nasopharyngeal swabs that go further into the nasal cavity for collection. Either type of swab is sufficient for collecting material for the COVID-19 PCR test. After collection, the swab is sealed in a tube and then sent to a laboratory.
2 EXTRACTION
When a laboratory technologist receives the sample, they perform a process called extraction, which isolates genetic material from the sample including genetic material from any virus that may be present.
3 PCR
The PCR step then uses special chemicals and a PCR machine, called a thermal cycler, which cause a reaction to occur that makes millions of copies of a small portion of the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s genetic material. During this process, one of the chemicals produces a fluorescent light if SARS-CoV-2 is present in the sample. This fluorescent light is a “signal” that is detected by the PCR machine and special software is used to interpret the signal as a positive test result.