Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
In no case our Institute shall or can participate in collection of samples from the patients.
I would like to inform you that in relation to the considered participation of IMG and other academic institutions in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus presence testing, which you may have seen mentioned in the media, in no case our Institute shall or can participate in collection of samples from the patients. We have only considered analysing inactivated (decontaminated) anonymized samples, collected at the official sampling sites, using the unique instruments and equipment of the academic institutions, their qualified staff, and re-identification of the positive samples by medical centres.
As is evident from the media, increasing the capacities for testing the presence of the new coronavirus is a crucial measure for managing the present emergency situation, and the participation of the academic institutions is thus a logical solution to an otherwise difficult problem consisting in lack of appropriate instrumentation coronavirus diagnostic kits.
Possible efforts to contact or even visit institutions of the Czech Academy of Sciences by persons displaying symptoms of the infection is therefore irrelevant and totally irresponsible.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Best regards,
Petr Dráber