Ningxia Association for Science and Technology's Tips for Fighting the Epidemic: Are "cotton swabs" for nucleic acid sampling safe? Of course!

Safe material similar to toothbrush

In fact, the sampling swab is not a cotton swab. It is made of polyester or nylon fiber, which is similar to the toothbrush we use in daily life.

Nucleic acid sampling is like brushing your teeth with a toothbrush, but the sampling is done by brushing the posterior pharyngeal wall in the mouth to obtain cells, and then the sampling swab is placed in the sampling tube. Because the sampling swab is made of polyester or nylon fiber, it is easy to detach from the preservation solution, which is convenient for the laboratory to conduct relevant tests later.

The production environment has requirements and the quality supervision has standards

Sampling swabs are medical devices with very strict production environment and requirements. There are also relevant standards for quality supervision. The most basic standard is that they are non-toxic and harmless. No harmful substances will be produced during the production process of sampling swabs.

Sampling does not harm individuals

There will be some stimulation during the nucleic acid sampling process, and different people feel it differently. For example, some people have a more sensitive throat, and after sampling, they feel uncomfortable, have a foreign body sensation, and will feel itchy or nauseous. Some people have a greater tolerance. Individual differences are quite large.

Another situation is that when taking oropharyngeal swab samples, you usually need to open your mouth. Some people's soft palate closes the root of the tongue. To ensure the quality of the sample, the sampler will probe inside to find the posterior pharyngeal wall and tonsils. When probing, there will be irritation. Some people will have a very strong irritation reaction, and vomit or cough, but once the sampling is completed, it will be easily relieved. Therefore, sampling does not harm individuals.

The public is reminded that when participating in nucleic acid testing, they should actively support and cooperate with sampling personnel, follow their on-site requirements, standardize the sampling cooperation actions, and ensure the sampling effect.

According to the oropharyngeal swab collection method released by the National Health Commission, during the collection of the pharyngeal swab, the person being collected needs to tilt his head slightly and open his mouth slightly to expose the pharyngeal tonsils on both sides. The sampler needs to collect samples from the pharyngeal tonsils and the posterior pharyngeal wall on both sides. The human oropharynx is a soft tissue. During the collection process, it is necessary to maintain some force to wipe and scrape, while avoiding damage to the posterior pharyngeal wall. Try to avoid the swab touching the cheeks and lips.