biostudies-literatureUnknown9(4)Jia J<h4>Background</h4>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has triggered a global pandemic. Healthcare workers are placed at an elevated risk of nosocomial cross-infection from clinical exposure. One diagnostic criterion for COVID-19 is a positive result from a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay of pharyngeal swab specimens, which has been a routine procedure for healthcare workers during the outbreak. In the context of a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), we aimed to lower the probability of clinical cross-infection without impacting the results of pharynx sampling through an optimized pharyngeal swab assisted device (OPAD).<h4>Methods</h4>To evaluate tAnnals of translational medicine319https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7944259biostudies-literatureApplication of an optimized pharyngeal swab-assisted device in pharyngeal sampling for COVID-19 patients.PMC7944259Tang JFeng XBFang STTian HTTong WJia JfalseApplication of an optimized pharyngeal swab-assisted device in pharyngeal sampling for COVID-19 patients.<h4>Background</h4>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has triggered a global pandemic. Healthcare workers are placed at an elevated risk of nosocomial cross-infection from clinical exposure. One diagnostic criterion for COVID-19 is a positive result from a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay of pharyngeal swab specimens, which has been a routine procedure for healthcare workers during the outbreak. In the context of a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), we aimed to lower the probability of clinical cross-infection without impacting the results of pharynx sampling through an optimized pharyngeal swab assisted device (OPAD).<h4>Methods</h4>To evaluate t2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Feb2025-04-04T19:24:24.131Z2025-02-19T01:39:57.208ZS-EPMC79442593370894610.21037/atm-20-3612