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. 2022 Oct 12;14(10):2233.
doi: 10.3390/v14102233.

Performing under Pressure: Insights into the Diagnostic Testing Burden at a UK National Health Service Clinical Virology Laboratory during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Paul William Bird  1   2 , Georgina Taylor  1 , Jessica Cafferata  1 , Judi Gardener  1 , Claire L McMurray  1 , Oliver Fletcher  1 , Oliver T R Toovey  1 , Christopher W Holmes  1   2 , Julian W Tang  1   2
Affiliations

Performing under Pressure: Insights into the Diagnostic Testing Burden at a UK National Health Service Clinical Virology Laboratory during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Paul William Bird et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

UK National Health Service (NHS) Clinical Virology Departments provide a repertoire of tests on clinical samples to detect the presence of viral genomic material or host immune responses to viral infection. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged which quickly developed into a global pandemic; NHS laboratories responded rapidly to upscale their testing capabilities. To date, there is little information on the impact of increased SARS-CoV-2 screening on non-SARS-CoV-2 testing within NHS laboratories. This report details the virology test requests received by the Leicester-based NHS Virology laboratory from January 2018 to May 2022. Data show that in spite of a dramatic increase in screening, along with multiple logistic and staffing issues, the Leicester Virology Department was mostly able to maintain the same level of service for non-respiratory virus testing while meeting the new increase in SARS-CoV-2 testing.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; burden; diagnostics; non-SARS-CoV-2; pandemic; routine; testing.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no declarations of competing interests to be declared by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Routine Viral Screening (excluding SARS-CoV-2). Viruses are grouped into four groups; blood borne viruses (blue), respiratory viruses (red), herpes viruses (purple), diarrhoeal viruses (green).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Routine Viral Screening (including SARS-CoV-2). Viruses are grouped into five groups; SARS-CoV-2 (orange), blood borne viruses (blue), respiratory viruses (red), herpes viruses (purple), diarrhoeal viruses (green).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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