How Does a PCR Test for COVID-19 Work?
A lot of amazing science happens to that little sample tube
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a swab deep inside your nostril, is there? That nose wrinkling brain-tickle has been just one of many new things we’ve had to adjust to in this pandemic.
I’ve swabbed my noggin so many times I’m almost immune to the feeling (almost).
So you’ve carefully swabbed your throat and nose, following the instructions to the letter. You carefully package your swab and send it off for testing at the lab. You’ve been told that this type of test is a ‘PCR’ test for SARS-CoV-2. But what does that mean? What happens to your sample tube once it’s been sent away?
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR test)
A COVID-19 PCR test amplifies and detects genetic material from the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, which means that its genetic material is in the form of ribonucleic acid (RNA) rather than deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). So when you swab for a COVID PCR test, usually in the nose and throat, what you are really looking for is viral RNA.
