Summary

Packages of COVID-19 test swabs from referring Pathology Labs waiting to be processed and tested at the Doherty Institute, Parkville in early 2020.

Swab testing for coronavirus has been the most common form of testing in Australia. The test takes a small sample from the nose and the back of the throat using a special swab. The material captured on the swab is then compared with the genetic code of Covid-19 to determine if someone is infected.

Description of Content

This image shows some of the behind the scenes work of the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. Along with each tube (containing a nose/throat swab) the correct documentation/tracing must be kept (a combination of written -- eg names on tube, and digital). Each tube has required a healthcare professional to take the sample from the patient, and the sample must be taken to a laboratory where multiple researchers analyse each sample in a process that takes several days. Each tube being tested represents a person in lockdown, avoiding contact with any other person until they receive their COVID-19 (aka SARS-CoV-2) result during the 2020 pandemic.

Physical Description

Born Digital Image.

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