Figure 2

SARS-CoV-2 N1 gene detection with individual saliva-based RNA-extraction-free RT-qPCR testing versus pooled sample testing using Workflows A–D. (A) N1 detection of one positive sample pooled and tested with equal volumes of 4 negative samples correlated to the Ct value obtained when samples were tested individually. (B). Ct values obtained from each sample tested individually and when combined with 4 negative samples and tested with each of the workflows. For each workflow, the black horizontal line represents the median Ct value of the samples tested. The grey shaded area denotes the region of 40–45 Ct. The N1 Ct cut-off for classifying individual samples as positive is 40 and the PCR is run for a total of 45 cycles. Due to the specific detection of N1, no cut-off was set for the pooled samples.