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Test Code LAB4920 COVID-19 Coronavirus RNA

Performing Laboratory

St. Louis Children's Hospital - Virology for Rapid Testing

Barnes-Jewish Hospital Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory at IOH for Batched Testing

Specimen Requirements

Specimen Type: NP Swab

Patient Preparation: None

Container/Tube

Preferred: 

  • Nasopharyngeal Swab (NP): 1 swab in viral transport medium
  1. Obtain a Viral Transport medium kit with collection swab from Pyxis or supplied by St. Louis Children's Hospital Lab (call lab at 314-454-6130 or 314-454-4268 to obtain).
  2. Collect specimen by using plastic swabs provided and inserting swab into nares, and into nasopharyngeal area.
  3. Rotate swab to collect epithelial cells from nasopharyngeal area. Hold swab in place for 10-15 seconds to increase specimen collection. 
  4. Place swab(s) in vial, break or cut off shaft of swab and discard excess piece of shaft. Tightly cap vial. To prevent leaking, make sure the swabs do not interfere with tightening cap on vial.
  5. Label transport container with the PPID order label or patient's addressograph label with date and time of collection.
  6. Maintain sterility and forward promptly
  7. If transport is delayed, refrigerate specimen

Acceptable: If testing is for Batch testing (non-Rapid), additional specimen types are acceptable. See "COVID-19 Coronavirus RNA" in BJS ETC for acceptable specimen types for Batch testing.

Special Instructions: Specimen source is required 

Sample Rejection

Mislabeled or unlabeled specimen

Logistics

Test Availability: Monday-Sunday
Cut-off time: None; performed as received

Rapid Test Turnaround time: Same day; <1 hour from receipt in laboratory

Batched Test Turnaround time: 1-3 days

 

Reference Values

Reference Range: Not Detected (Negative)
Critical Values: None established

Methodology

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Limitations

  • NA

Additional Information

FOR SLCH CORE LABORATORY USE ONLY

Lab Processing Instructions: DO NOT PROCESS. Maintain sterility and give specimen directly to Micro/Virology bench.

Analyte Stability: 

Specimen Type    Temperature Time
  Ambient NA
  Refrigerated      72 hours    
  Frozen (<20o) 7 days   

Transport Temperature: Ambient/Refrigerated okay

Test Classification and CPT Code

87635

LOINC

NA

Last Reviewed

08/2025