Specimen Requirements

Submit only 1 specimen:

Preferred Specimen Type: Nasopharyngeal swab (Flocked Swab)

Acceptable Specimen Type: Nasal swab/ Nasopharyngeal swab (Flocked or Copan)

Container: 

1. UTM Collection Kit (contains one screw cap tube with Universal Transport Media and one peel pouch with one sterile specimen collection swab.)
2. VTM Collection Kit (contains one screw cap tube with Viral Transport Media and one peel pouch with one sterile specimen collection swab.)
3. E-Swab Sample Collection Kit (contains one screw cap tube with Liquid Aimies Media and one peel pouch with one sterile specimen collection swab.)
4. Sterile Copan or Flocked nasal/nasopharyngeal swab collection in sterile saline (acceptable but not preferred.)

Specimen Collection Instructions: Once the swab is collected it should be immediately placed into the transport tube so that it comes into contact with the transport medium. Specimen should be promptly forwarded to the lab at ambient temperature. Process specimen as soon as possible after collection. 

Additional Information: Label tube with patient's full name (first, last, middle initial,) date of birth and/or Social Security number, medical record number if available, date and time of collection and specimen source. SPECIMEN SOURCE IS REQUIRED.