Anna See, MMed (ENT)¹, Song Tar Toh, FAMS¹

Affiliations:

1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore

Corresponding author:

See Anna

Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery

Singapore General Hospital

Outram Road, Singapore 169608

Telephone: (65) 6222 3322

Email: anna.see.xinyin@singhealth.com.sg

Reprints will not be available from the authors.  

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and was declared a pandemic in March 2020. A plethora of respiratory sampling methods for SARS-CoV-2 viral detection has been used and in the current evolving situation, there is no international consensus on the recommended method of respiratory sampling for diagnosis. Otolaryngologists deal intimately with the upper respiratory tract and a clear understanding of the respiratory sampling methods is of paramount importance. This article aims to provide an overview of the various methods and their evidence till date.