Industry News

China’s COVID-19 Strategies Optimized

Authorities will accelerate the lifting of unnecessary restrictions put in place after the recent Omicron-fueled outbreaks to reduce the disease control strategies’ economic fallout and other resulting “inconveniences”, a senior health official said on Tuesday, amid a surge of public displeasure toward the distorted enforcement of containment policies. National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said local governments are racing to …

Which COVID-19 Symptoms Aren’t Caused by Allergies?

COVID-19 and allergies share some similar symptoms, but there are indicators of COVID-19 that are distinct and highly unlikely to be caused by allergies. Fever and shortness of breath are serious symptoms of COVID-19 that are rarely related to allergies. One study reported that 98% of participants with COVID-19 had a fever, and 55% experienced shortness of breath. Here are …

What is STD Testing?

STDs are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Common STDs include chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, HIV, and HPV (human papillomavirus) infection. STD testing can help you get diagnosed and treated so you may avoid serious complications. STD testing refers to several different methods to detect an infection, such as blood tests, vaginal discharge tests, stool test, and laparoscopy. Each type …

What is RT-PCR Test?

RT-PCR Test means real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. RT-PCR test procedure is used for detecting nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab specimens from people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19. This is accomplished by utilising fluorescence to monitor the amplification reaction, a technique known as quantitative PCR (qPCR). It allows professionals to immediately review the …

China Further Optimizes COVID-19 Prevention and Control Measures

China will cut COVID-19 quarantine period for incoming travelers from 10 to 8 days, cancel the circuit breaker for inbound flights and no longer determine secondary close contacts of confirmed cases, health authorities said on Friday. Categories of COVID-risk areas will be adjusted to high and low, from the old tertiary standards of high, medium and low, according to a …

How to Collect the Sample for a Saliva Cortisol Test

Cortisol is the most abundant circulating steroid and the major glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex.  It helps the body use sugar (glucose) and fat for energy (metabolism). It also helps the body manage stress. Cortisol testing helps diagnose Cushing syndrome, primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency as well as other malfunctions of the adrenal and pituitary glands. The following are …

China-based Researchers Develop Rapid Testing Methods for Monkeypox Virus

BEIJING — Some China-based researchers have recently developed three rapid testing methods for monkeypox virus (MPXV) that can provide the result in 20 to 30 minutes and are significantly faster than the traditional quantitative real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) method. Quantitative real-time PCR is currently the gold standard for MPXV diagnostics, but it requires trained laboratory personnel and specialized equipment, …

Guidelines for Monkeypox Specimen Collection

Skin specimens of the lesions should be collected as soon as monkeypox is suspected. Proper specimen collection is the most important step in the laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases. Improperly collected specimens may lead to false negatives or inconclusive results. Below are a guidelines for monkeypox specimen collection. 1. Remove 1 specimen collection swab from its package. Do not touch …

China Has Successfully Isolated Monkeypox Virus Strain and Started Vaccine Drug Research

A Chinese research institute said on Thursday that it has successfully isolated the monkeypox virus from samples of infected cases and has begun researching vaccines and drugs to fight the infectious disease. The Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, a research unit under the State-owned Sinopharm’s China National Biotech Group, made the announcement. The World Health Organization declared the global monkeypox …

China already has a single-tube nucleic acid testing capacity of more than 100 million tubes per day

On October 13, at the press conference of the Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism of the State Council, Liang Wannian, head of the expert group of the National Health Commission’s Leading Group for Epidemic Response and Disposal, said that the key to the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic is “early detection”, and nucleic acid testing is the key …

Procedure for Swab Sampling for Validation of Test Surface to Evaluate Cleaning Efficacy

Swab sampling procedure: 1. Pipette out 5 ml of sampling solvent in the transport container. 2. Remove a swab from its protective bag using a clean latex hand glove. 3. Avoid touching the swab head to prevent its contamination. 4. Transfer the swab in transport container (test tube) containing 5 ml of sampling solvent and allow the swab to soak …

3 Key Steps to the COVID-19 PCR Test

The PCR test has been the gold standard test for diagnosing COVID-19, it’s accurate and reliable. There are three key steps to the COVID-19 PCR test: Sample collection: A healthcare provider uses a swab to collect respiratory material found in your nose. A swab is a soft tip on a long, flexible stick that goes into your nose. There are …