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Has coronavirus disease 2019 changed clinical microbiology laboratories forever?

    Joseph M Blondeau

    *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +(306) 655 6943;

    E-mail Address: joseph.blondeau@saskhealthauthority.ca

    Division of Clinical Microbiology, Royal University Hospital & Saskatchewan Health Authority, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0W8, Canada

    Departments of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Department of Ophthalmology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    &
    Jennifer Coetzee

    Clinical Microbiology, Ampath Laboratories, 166 Witch-Hazel Avenue, Technopart, Centurion, 0157, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Published Online:https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2023-0187
    Free first page

    Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest

    References

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    • 2. Holder, J. Tracking coronavirus vaccinations around the world. The New York Times, 13th March (2023). www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html
    • 3. American Society for Microbiology. How dangerous is the Delta variant (B.1.617.2)? (2021). https://asm.org/Articles/2021/July/How-Dangerous-is-the-Delta-Variant-B-1-617-2
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    • 18. Poole S, Townsend J, Wertheim H et al. How are rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases used in clinical practice: a global survey by the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (ISAC). Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 40(2), 429–434 (2021).
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    • 20. WHO. Antimicrobial resistance (2021). www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance • A snapshot of how rapid diagnostic tests are used in various countries.