Inside look at a RivCo lab: How PCR tests are prioritized for Covid variant testing
With the holidays right around the corner, the Riverside County Public Health lab is working to get Covid-19 test results out fast.
It's where the county's PCR tests are sent for examination. When the lab receives samples, it's first stop is through it extraction machine.
“This is our platform that extracts the viral RNA from the samples that are submitted to us for testing for Covid,” said Gina Douville, the lab's Supervising Public Health Microbiologist.
Those samples are then loaded into another machine, PCR assay, which ultimately determines if a test is negative or positive for Covid-19.
However, it doesn’t test for specific variants.
“That’s done through whole sequencing genome testing. And based on the data from that test, they’re able to tell which lineage it is, which then tells them which variant it is,” Douville said.
The county’s Public Health Officer, Dr. Jennifer Chevinsky, says variant happens at a state lab or some local labs. “What they’re looking at is the pattern of mutations in order to identify which variant that is.”
Dr. Chevinsky said they decide which samples are tested for variants by risk factors, including recent travel to a place where Omicron or Delta is prevalent.
“On a population level, it's important for us to know what variants are circulating. They have slightly different properties," said Dr. Chevinksy, "On an individual level, in terms of knowing what variant you are, there isn't as much importance or implication at this time. But as we find out more about vaccines, therapeutics, we might find that there are certain ones that work better for certain in variants”
She also said tests from areas that are seeing breakthrough infections or a large outbreak are prioritized for variant testing.
Riverside County health officials reported the first confirmed case of the Omicron variant on Friday.
Officials said it was found in a 41-year-old fully vaccinated man from the western part of the county. Officials received confirmation last week.
The variant was first reported in South Africa on Nov. 9 and quickly spread to other countries. State health officials on Dec. 1 reported the first case in California from a traveler who had returned to San Francisco from South Africa late last month. The patient had what was described as mild symptoms.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Omicron variant likely will spread more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, but it is still unknown how easily Omicron spreads compared to the Delta variant remains unknown.
In addition to vaccination, officials are encouraging residents to continue to wear facemasks, avoid large public gatherings and wash their hands frequently.
COVID-19 vaccines have been available in Riverside County since December 2020, and more than 3.4 million doses have been administered between Public Health clinics and those operated by community partners, such as pharmacies, hospitals, private health providers and private clinics.
Vaccines are available for anyone 5 years and older and boosters are available for anyone 16 and older.
Those seeking information about locations for clinics or to make an appointment can use https://myturn.ca.gov or call 951-358-5000.
For more information about the vaccine or COVID-19, click www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus.
