Since the current round of COVID-19 outbreaks, nucleic acid tests have been conducted in many places in Changsha. In order to meet the needs of large-scale nucleic acid testing and get nucleic acid testing results as quickly as possible, the city has put into operation 13 mobile makeshift laboratories in several hospitals, health centers, and centers for disease control and prevention. Each laboratory can test up to 100,000 nucleic acid samples per day.

Changsha County had the need to conduct extensive nucleic acid testing since March 21. In response to this, the makeshift laboratory named “Xingsha” was put into use for the first time.

The container-like laboratory covers an area of 35 square meters. It can be transported by truck, and can be quickly moved to a designated place for emergency use. Inside the laboratory, there are various automatic detection-related “black technologies” available. It has three functional areas for reagent preparation, sample extraction and testing respectively. Delivery windows and buffer rooms are used to isolate each area. This, together with the one-way personnel flow, can effectively prevent aerosol pollution.

The laboratory is also equipped with changing rooms, high-pressure disinfection equipment, air conditioning, and mechanical and electrical room.

Nucleic acid extraction is handled by an automatic instrument in a group of 96 tubes of samples. The process only takes 35 minutes.

Yang Mudan, chief of the “Xingsha” makeshift laboratory and director of the Changsha County Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, said that, the automatic instrument can save manpower and shorten the testing time by three to five times, greatly improving the efficiency of nucleic acid testing.

The “Xingsha” makeshift laboratory is one of the Changsha’s 13 mobile makeshift laboratories. It passed acceptance inspections in early March. It can test up to 100,000 nucleic acid samples a day and cope with large-scale nucleic acid testing and screening at any time.

Source: en.changsha.gov.cn