Patients
We conducted a retrospective, single-center study within the Emergency
Department (ED) of Saint-Louis Hospital (Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux
de Paris, Paris, France) spanning from March 9th, 2020, to May 6th,
2020. The study encompassed all patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2
infections. We categorized the patients into three groups: (i)
individuals with acute respiratory distress syndrome attributed to
COVID-19, who were subsequently transferred to the medical intensive
care unit; (ii) patients admitted to a non-intensive care unit for
COVID-19 treatment; and (iii) patients displaying no indications of
severity and subsequently discharged from the hospital. Qualified
trained medical or nursing personnel conducted the collection of
nasopharyngeal secretions using standardized methods, employing nylon
flocked swabs which were then placed in 3 ml of Universal Transport
Medium (Copan Diagnostics Inc.). The swabs were gently inserted along
the nasal septums into the nasopharynx until a sense of resistance was
encountered, as described (11).