Chinese expert consensus on the rapid nucleic acid testing of 2019-nCoV

Abstract

In order to achieve fast turnaround time, reduce the instruments and workplace requirement, newly developed point-of-care nucleic acid testing for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is increasingly used for the purpose of prevention and control of COVID-19. Since the methods used now have not met the requirements for point-of-care testing (POCT), these methods are temporarily named as "rapid nucleic acid testing" in this consensus. To standardize the clinical application of rapid nucleic acid testing of 2019-nCoV, experts from China Association of Medical Equipment of Genetic Testing, China Association of Medical Equipment of Point of Care Testing (POCT), National Clinical Research Center for Clinical Laboratory, Molecular Group of Laboratory Medicine Expert Committee of National Health Commission Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center, Beijing Medical Laboratory Quality Control and Improvement Center jointly developed this expert consensus, which provides the consensus recommendations for "rapid nucleic acid testing" in clinical laboratories, including general laboratory requirements, specimen collection, transportation and storage, standard operating procedures, verification, internal quality control, external quality assessment, result analysis and reporting, as well as laboratory safety management.