Nucleic acid sampling station to boost Beijing's COVID-19 testing

A positive pressure sampling station has been introduced to conduct nucleic acid tests in Beijing, allowing medical staff inside not to wear protective equipment.

The station, mainly developed by an institute under the Academy of Military Sciences of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, provides a comfortable working environment and spacious interior, which can greatly improve the working efficiency of sampling, said a report by Science and Technology Daily Tuesday.

Instead of wearing protective clothing or face masks, medical staff take samples inside through a small window with a pair of gloves.

Due to the positive pressure, the station has a higher internal pressure than that outside, said the report.

The station also boasts positive pressure filtration protection, air-conditioning and a filter failure warning system.

"It is our responsibility to improve our epidemic control and prevention ability by technological means and to create a safe and comfortable working environment for medical staff in various conditions," an expert from the institute was quoted as saying by the newspaper.