mrs rubble Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Covid has definitely impacted our laboratory, we have 3 different types of testing platforms to test for the RNA by PCR. We’ve trained on the newest machines via Zoom as our trainers couldn’t come to us. Pre-covid during flu season we would test approximately 60-100 tests a day for respiratory viruses, in the early days of covid we were testing about 200 a day, now we’re testing up to 2000 per day. We are now pooling samples to save on test kits and money. If there is a positive the samples all get run individually on another instrument. We operate on a production line system for the huge number of tests, getting them registered and numbered, labelled and checked, then setting up the test kits, pipetting samples into test tubes, loading them via our computer system and onto our analysers, and checking results. Any positive results are automatically referred electronically to our national health department. I’ve had lot’s of questions from friends over the last few months about testing, so thought I’d share some answers to some of the questions I’ve had. Also as a bonus, I have not tested anyone positive for flu! Apparently we’ve had 3 cases of flu! The precautions work people. Stay vigilant out there. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have if I’m capable of answering about testing. 8 Link to post Share on other sites
Eternal Sunshine Posted September 17, 2020 Share Posted September 17, 2020 Cool story. How many positives do you find a day? Are there any borderline positive/negative samples and how do you decide? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrs rubble Posted September 19, 2020 Author Share Posted September 19, 2020 On 9/18/2020 at 2:47 AM, Eternal Sunshine said: Cool story. How many positives do you find a day? Are there any borderline positive/negative samples and how do you decide? We’re only finding around 5 a day and that’s the whole country, personally I haven’t had a positive at all, but when we do get one or a borderline positive, it is then tested again using another method to confirm. We also have to check the graphs to check the controls have worked properly too. Link to post Share on other sites
schlumpy Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 Hi Mrs Rubble: I have a question about the Russian and Chinese Covid vaccines that were announced last month. Since then the only things I've heard about them is that the Russians have recently offered to vaccinate all United Nations personnel. If these vaccines work, why isn't the rest of the world not beating a path to the Kremlin or Beijing? Are we reinventing the wheel here? Is it nationalistic pride? We are willing to let thousands more die when they could saved? What are your sources telling you? Link to post Share on other sites
CaliforniaGirl Posted September 24, 2020 Share Posted September 24, 2020 24 minutes ago, schlumpy said: Hi Mrs Rubble: I have a question about the Russian and Chinese Covid vaccines that were announced last month. Since then the only things I've heard about them is that the Russians have recently offered to vaccinate all United Nations personnel. If these vaccines work, why isn't the rest of the world not beating a path to the Kremlin or Beijing? Are we reinventing the wheel here? Is it nationalistic pride? We are willing to let thousands more die when they could saved? What are your sources telling you? I want to hear what the OP has to say about it too. Once the vaccine appears to be safe I definitely want it. Last I heard (this month) it was still disputed and it seems like Russia isn't all that confident either since it's mostly being offered to lower income countries. Everyone seems to think they're not as big a deal. 😯 I doubt U.N. personnel were legitimately expected to take either nation up on the but the OP might have the skinny. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/russia-vaccine-data-called-question-experts-worry-global/story?id=73055379 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author mrs rubble Posted October 2, 2020 Author Share Posted October 2, 2020 On 9/25/2020 at 8:29 AM, schlumpy said: Hi Mrs Rubble: I have a question about the Russian and Chinese Covid vaccines that were announced last month. Since then the only things I've heard about them is that the Russians have recently offered to vaccinate all United Nations personnel. If these vaccines work, why isn't the rest of the world not beating a path to the Kremlin or Beijing? Are we reinventing the wheel here? Is it nationalistic pride? We are willing to let thousands more die when they could saved? What are your sources telling you? I haven’t heard anything about the vaccine from our lab yet, however our prime minister has announced that she has been securing supplies for New Zealand. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
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