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Collection of an oropharyngeal specimen

The oropharyngeal swab has a lower sensitivity (around 84% (95% confidence interval: 57-100%)) compared to the nasopharyngeal swab in PCR testing. For oropharyngeal swabbing, a rigid and slightly thicker swab is used to collect material from the back of the oropharynx, while there is no consensus in the literature on whether swabbing should also be performed from the tonsils.

Step-by-step guide

A six step-by-step guide to swabbing of the throat (oropharynx) for COVID-19, also known as corona virus, diagnostics.
visuel guide

Instructional video

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