Covid 19 RT PCR Test

The determinant Covid 19 RT PCR Test can be defined as a real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test, or RT-PCR test, to qualitatively identify nucleic acid in both the upper as well as lower respiratory specimens from SARS-CoV-2. A sample is collected from individuals showing symptoms of Covid-19 or asymptomatic but suspected to have Covid 19. The test results in early detection of Covid 19 infection. Labs in Delhi are handling bulk RT PCR tests daily.

RT PCR Test for Covid 19 is a nasal swab test. It is considered the most reliable and accurate test to diagnose Covid-19. If the test result is negative, that means an individual did not contract Covid-19 when the sample was collected. In Delhi, you can do the RT-PCR Covid-19 test at a certified lab.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an RT PCR test for Covid 19 that quickly reveals if someone is harbouring the virus within 5 to 6 hours.

There are 3 primary steps to this test:

Your sample is collected with the help of a swab. Respiratory material present in the nose is the sample used for testing covid-19. A swab has a soft tip with a long and flexible stick inserted into the nose. Swabs are of different types, including nasal swabs for collecting samples immediately within the nostrils or nasopharyngeal swabs to go further inside the nasal cavity to collect the sample. Either of these swabs is sufficient to collect material for the Covid 19 RT PCR test. Once collected, the swab would be sealed in the tube and sent to the lab for testing.

When the lab technologist receives this sample, he performs the extraction process to isolate genetic components from the specimen, which includes genetic materials from viruses present.

Thereafter, in this step, special chemicals are used in the RT PCR machine, known as thermal cycler that causes a reaction to make copies of a fraction of the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this process, a chemical produces fluorescent light if there is a SARS-CoV-2 virus present in the specific sample. The fluorescent is a marker detected by the RT PCR machine following which special software interprets that signal as positive.