When undergoing nucleic acid testing, the following aspects need to be noted

Before the test

• Understand the testing process
  • Know the testing location, testing time, and reservation method in advance. Nowadays, in many places, nucleic acid testing can be reserved through online platforms. Follow the instructions to complete the reservation steps to avoid long waits at the scene or being unable to test due to no reservation.
• Prepare relevant documents
  • Carry valid documents such as ID cards and medical insurance cards to be used when registering information to ensure the accurate entry of personal information and facilitate the subsequent query of test results.
• Pay attention to diet and rest
  • In terms of diet: Try to avoid eating within 2 hours before the test to avoid discomfort reactions such as nausea and vomiting during the sampling process. At the same time, avoid drinking alcohol, chewing gum, etc., because these may affect the oral environment and interfere with the test results.
  • In terms of rest: Ensure adequate sleep, avoid staying up late and overworking, and maintain a good state of the body, which helps to improve the accuracy of the test.
• Wear a mask and maintain social distancing
  • On the way to the testing site and at the testing site, wear a mask correctly and keep more than 1 meter of social distance from others as much as possible to avoid gathering and talking and reduce the risk of cross-infection.

During the test

• Cooperate with medical staff
  • During the sampling, actively cooperate with the operation of medical staff, slightly tilt your head back, relax your mind, and don’t be overly nervous. If oropharyngeal swab sampling is performed, when the swab is inserted into the mouth, make a “ah” sound so that the medical staff can accurately collect samples from the posterior pharyngeal wall.
• Pay attention to the sampling process
  • There may be some discomfort during the sampling process, such as mild tingling, itching, etc., which is a normal phenomenon. Don’t randomly twist your body or avoid it to avoid affecting the sampling effect or causing the swab to break and other situations. If you really feel unbearable, you can signal to the medical staff, but don’t interrupt the sampling by yourself.

After the test

• Pay attention to observation
  • After completing the sampling, don’t leave the testing site immediately. Follow the instructions of the staff and stay in the designated area for a period of time, usually 15 to 30 minutes. This is to observe whether there are adverse reactions, such as allergies, bleeding, etc., so that timely measures can be taken to deal with them.
• Pay attention to personal hygiene
  • After leaving the testing site, change the new mask in time and use alcohol hand sanitizer and other cleaning hands to avoid touching the mouth, nose and other parts with your hands to prevent infection.
• Wait for the test results
  • Wait patiently for the test results. Usually, the results can be queried within 12 to 24 hours after sampling, and the specific time varies depending on the region and testing agency. If the test result is positive, don’t panic. Immediately follow the local prevention and control requirements and cooperate with further inspections and isolation treatment.

Nucleic acid testing is one of the important means of epidemic prevention and control. By following these precautions, the smooth progress of the test can be ensured, and the accuracy and safety of the test can be improved, providing a guarantee for the health and safety of individuals and society.