The importance of sample pooling in COVID-19 testing
The rapid, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in many regions has put a significant strain on COVID-19 testing capabilities. With RT-PCR identified as the current gold standard for testing due to its high sensitivity, compared to other diagnostic techniques available, it has become the cornerstone of many testing regimens. However, the expensive time- and labor-intensive equipment required to conduct RT-PCR presents a challenge; how can labs quickly test high volumes of samples while managing their budget?
This article, from Zymo Research, investigates the use of sample pooling – testing multiple patient samples together in the same reaction – to increase sample throughput and reduce the cost of testing. Register today to discover the answers to these common questions about sample pooling:
- What is pooled sample testing?
- What are the benefits and costs of sample pooling?
- How many samples can be pooled?
- When should sample pooling be used?