Proper specimen collection and obtaining sufficient samples are the most important steps
for laboratory diagnosis of an infectious disease. Improper collection may lead to false
or inconclusive test results. During the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak, the
Center for Disease Prevention and Control recommended collecting and testing an upper
respiratory specimen [4]. Nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) swabs are the
preferred choice for initial SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection from used surgical
masks with standard detection methods. We tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in masks from
patients with COVID-19 that had been worn for eight hours and compared this with NP swabs
using RT-PCR testing. Hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were
recruited to provide surgical masks. Collection of used surgical mask samples by patients
themselves is easy, convenient, requires no sampling equipment and decreases the risk of
healthcare personnel exposure to COVID-19. If SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be detected on used
surgical mask samples, this may encourage patients to provide specimens for testing and
help in early detection and transmission prevention. As an alternative method to NP
swabs, it may facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment.