The Marceli Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), in cooperation with the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics of the University of Warsaw (UW) and laboratories of the Sanepid and Medical University in Łódź, developed procedures that allow to check 10 people for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with one test only.

Under the SONAR Anti-CoronaVirus project, scientists worked out coronavirus collective testing procedures using commercially available PCR genetic tests. It is a very good screening tool that allows experts to determine how prevalent the virus is in a given group (e.g. in companies, factories, hospitals or universities).

-Today, we know exactly that group testing would be an effective way to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The interest in this method is huge worldwide. We meet entrepreneurs who would like to conduct group testing in order to avoid possible paralysis of the workplace resulting from illness, – informs Prof. Agnieszka Dobrzyń, director of the Nencki Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences.