Fig. 2

Schematic of workflow of an in-house RT-qPCR-based assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2, showing each step from patient sampling to reporting of results. A sample is collected from the patient’s nasopharynx, saliva, or other tissues. RNA is extracted from the sample and then transcribed into cDNA (RT reaction). DNA polymerase amplifies the cDNA, degrading fluorescent probes which results in an increased fluorescence intensity (qPCR). If the intensity reaches a certain threshold, the sample is classed as positive