The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a pandemic caused by a new coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. The growing demand for commercial kits used for automated extraction of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, a key step before rRT-PCR diagnosis, could cause a shortage of stocks that hinders the rapid processing of samples.

Although the recommendation is to use automated methods for nucleic acid extraction, alternatives are necessary to replace commercial kits. However, these alternatives should be as reliable as automated methods.

This work describes a simple method to detect SARS-CoV-2 from specimens collected in different preservation media. Samples were previously inactivated by heating and precipitating with a PEG/NaCl solution before rRT-PCR assays for Orf1ab, N and S genes. The new method was compared with an automated protocol of nucleic acid extraction. Both procedures showed similar analytical results. Consequently, this simple and inexpensive method is a suitable procedure for laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

世界卫生组织（WHO）宣布了由一种名为SARS-CoV-2的新型冠状病毒引起的大流行。对用于自动提取SARS-CoV-2 RNA的商业试剂盒的需求不断增长，这是rRT-PCR诊断之前的关键步骤，这可能会导致库存短缺，从而阻碍了样品的快速处理。

尽管建议使用自动方法进行核酸提取，但是必须有替代方法来替代商业试剂盒。但是，这些替代方法应与自动化方法一样可靠。

这项工作描述了一种从不同保存介质中收集的标本中检测SARS-CoV-2的简单方法。在进行Orf1ab，N和S基因的rRT-PCR分析之前，先通过加热和PEG / NaCl溶液使样品失活。将该新方法与自动核酸提取方案进行了比较。两种方法均显示出相似的分析结果。因此，这种简单而廉价的方法是实验室诊断SARS-CoV-2感染的合适方法。