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Rows of scientists sit before racks of coronavirus samples inside a laboratory in Henderson, North Carolina, wearing face masks and scrubs. All hours of the day and night, they transfer the samples from tubes to processing plates, searching for answers about the virus behind these Covid-19 cases.
From confirming a positive Covid-19 sample to prepping the DNA and then sequencing it, the process takes two to three days in the lab, said Lauren Moon, sequencing manager for MAKO Medical's Next Generation Sequencing Lab in North Carolina.First confirmed US case of Omicron coronavirus variant detected in CaliforniaWork like this is happening in labs around the United States as the country races to learn more about the newly identified Omicron variant.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how Omicron compares to other variants 03:44It's not as simple as a Covid-19 test with a swab. Only samples that are sent into laboratories for diagnostic testing can be sequenced to look for the genetic evidence to tell which variant of virus has infected someone. The types of tests -- diagnostic and sequencing -- are done separately. Polymerase chain reaction or PCR testing makes the process easier.
Sequencing programs will remain important to track emerging pathogens around the world for years to come, said Katz of Harvard Medical School."It's just got to be part of our public health response moving forward. It's a good, important investment," Katz told CNN."I wish I could say that this is going to be the only global pandemic we'll see in our lifetime, but unfortunately, I think that's pretty unlikely.
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