Science and Technology Daily News (Reporter Li Shan) A few days ago, Germany’s new coronavirus infection cases reached a record high within 24 hours; at the same time, Germany’s COVID-19 detection capacity was approaching its limit, and the backlog of samples within a week was nearly 100,000, which had to be adjusted Test standards, focusing on people with symptoms and a history of epidemiological exposure.

　　Up to now, the German new crown test mainly relies on the so-called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

It can detect the genetic material of the virus more accurately, but the detection process is relatively complicated. The samples must be collected by medically trained personnel and tested in a laboratory with corresponding equipment.

At present, there are 161 laboratories in Germany, which can conduct about 1.6 million new crown tests every week, and their detection capacity has doubled compared with March at the beginning of the epidemic.

　　But with the surge in the number of new infections, laboratories are increasingly unable to keep up with the pace of testing requirements.

In the past two weeks, there has been a sharp backlog of test samples.

According to data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) of the German Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the 4th, 69 laboratories had reported difficulties in the previous week, and the total number of samples to be tested rose to 98,931.

In addition, 55 laboratories reported difficulties in replenishing reagents and consumables.

　　RKI emphasized: “Since the beginning of the epidemic, laboratory employees have worked 7 days a week. They are technically well-trained and cannot be easily replaced.” And winter is coming, and it is foreseeable that employees will be absent due to illness.

This means that the laboratory overload will continue in the short term.

　　On the 6th, RKI updated Germany’s “New Coronary Detection Strategy” and adjusted the testing standards and recommendations for doctors. In fact, it further raised the threshold for new coronary detection. It is not easy to test people with cold symptoms, but focuses on testing. People with symptoms and history of epidemiological exposure.

　　RKI vice chairman Lars Shad explained that as the number of cases continues to increase and limited by the limited testing capabilities, it is increasingly difficult to test all people with cold symptoms.

If testing is required, more than 3 million tests will be performed every week.

This is neither necessary nor necessary.

Factors to consider for testing should include: symptoms, belonging to a high-risk group, and the possibility of exposure to the virus.

The "primary goal" of the new strategy is to treat symptomatic cases of new coronavirus infection, protect particularly vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or people with weakened immune systems, and curb the wave of infection as effectively as possible.