State lab tests several samples for COVID-19 Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

IT CAN ONLY DETECT COVID-19. TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THEY DO IT. IT IS ONLY TUESDAY, BUT THIS IS A BIG, BUSY WEEK AT THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY. REBECCA LOVELL IS THE SCIENTIST WHO DISCOVERED THE VERY FIRST COVID-19 CASE IN THE STATE YESTERDAY. >> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VERY TALENTED LABORATORY STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE HAVE TRAINED, WE HAVE BEEN PLANNING THROUGH THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FUNDING FOR THIS TYPE OF EVENT. AMY: THE SPECIMENS ARE SWABS FROM NOSES AND CHEEKS, AND HERE IN THE CLEAN ROOM, REBECCA LOVELL IS ADDING VERY SPECIFIC REACTIVE AGENTS. AND THEN. >> THIS IS WHERE EVERYTHING HAPPENS. AMY: THE SPECIMEN GOES INTO THIS MACHINE FOR EXTRACTION. IT TAKES ABOUT TWO HOURS OF HEATING AND COOLING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AN ARC ON THE GRAPH MEANS POSITIVE. >> IF IT IS IN THERE, IT WILL FLUORESCE IN THE MACHINE AND IF NOT, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. AMY: OFFICIALS HERE CAUTION THIS IS LIKELY ONLY THE BEGINNING OF LONG-HELD EVENT IN THE STATE. A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT. >> WHAT I’M MOST CONCERNED WITH IS THAT OUR LABORATORY STAFF STAY HEALTHY SO WE CAN CONTINUE FOR THE LONG RUN. AMY: FRONT LINE SCIENTISTS ARE BIG ADVOCATES OF PREVENTION AND SAY IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A MASK. ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW? >> WASHING YOUR HANDS. AMY: THAT IS IT? >> WASHING YOUR HANDS. WASH YOUR HANDS. [LAUGHTER] AMY: THEY WERE SERIOUS ABOUT THE HANDWASHING, THEY MADE US WASH OUR HANDS BEFORE WE LEFT THE LAB TODAY. THE STATE CURRENTLY HAS ENOUGH TESTING SUPPLIES FOR 100 SPECIMENS.

SIGN UP FOR BREAKING NEWS Get local stories sent straight to your inbox as news breaks. Submit Privacy Notice