ELMIRA, NY (WETM) – News around the world about this new virus has many people on edge. But what goes into the testing of the Coronavirus? We speak with Dr. Jeremy Lux the Medical Director, Dept. of Emergency Medicine at the Arnot Ogden explains the process.
“So for getting tested for novel coronavirus or influenza there are a number of different steps that are involved,” Lux explained. “The first one is that we use a swab that goes up inside of your nose and into the back of it in order to collect a sample. Now for influenza, it stops there for the coronavirus because this is a new and developing thing there are extra steps involved so we are also getting swabs in the back of the throat if you have a productive cough we collect the mucus sample of that also there is a blood test sent.”
For as much attention that the coronavirus has received, the flu still holds a much higher threat here locally.
“So influenza this year, it’s been a particularly trying season flu season, we are seeing a lot of of it, we have been seeing it for a couple of months now, it’s not slowing down right now either,” said Lux.
But if you have recently visited Wuhan China and are not feeling well you should get checked.
The tests taken for the Coronavirus are sent to the CDC in Atlanta Georgia where the test results would come back within at most a week. During that time the person being tested would be quarantined and home unless they are too under the weather and for that, they would be quarantined hospital.
