Not a medical person….does this sound right?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-12/a-berlin-biotech-company-got-a-head-start-on-coronavirus-tests?utm_medium=social&utm_content=businessweek&utm_source=twitter&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-businessweek&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic
“The kit comes with two vials: a primer to help detect an infection, and a synthetically engineered piece of the virus, which labs use to produce a surefire positive match to ensure their machines are working correctly. A lab technician combines these ingredients with a patient’s mucus sample—usually from a throat or nasal swab—and results are usually available in a few hours.”