Physician Office Specimen Requirements

Patient’s physician must contact Delaware Public Health Epidemiology Branch at 1-888-295-5156 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) before collecting specimen. Patients who do not meet the SARS case definition will not be tested. If approved for SARS testing, physician should obtain consent form from Delaware Public Health for the patient to complete prior to testing.

 

Container/Tube:  Viral transport medium
Specimen:  Nasopharyngeal aspirate or wash - Oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swab is also acceptable.

Collection Instructions:  Place specimen on wet ice and transport on wet ice.

Note:  1. Hand walk specimen with completed consent form and laboratory requisition to the Microbiology Laboratory. (Do not transport in pneumatic tube system.)

2.Label tube with patient’s full name and 1 additional unique patient identifier such as date of birth, medical record number, emergency ID number, date and time of collection, collector’s initials, and type of specimen.