Standard Operating Procedure for Specimen Collection, Packaging and Transport for Diagnosis of SARS-COV-2

Coronavirus disease-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARSCoV-2). Specimen quality, and proper transportation is vital for accurate diagnosis. This standard operating procedure is designed to educate the clinicians, nurses, paramedics, and laboratory personnel regarding proper methods of sample collection, packaging, and transportation. Nasopharyngeal swabs and/or oropharyngeal swabs should be collected for real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to detect SARS-CoV-2. The sample should be collected wearing proper personal protective equipment, packed in a triple packaging system, and transported maintaining cold chain.