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Illnesses, both mild and severe, have always been a normal part of our lives, but the current Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought the world to halt, puts many of us at risk of a potentially lethal disease.

Covid-19, a deadly virus that could cause a major impact on how our bodies produce cells, has resulted in a significant change on how we go about with our daily lives. It has also caused many of us to reconsider how we handle medications as well as fitness and diet plans. The pandemic has created a dreadful feeling of panic among the best of us.

One thing that increases some people’s worry is the chance of getting infected by the virus when undergoing medical tasks such as DNA paternity tests. Similarly, another reason for concern is the impact of diseases on DNA samples. How exactly does the presence of illnesses like Covid-19 affect our ability to undergo a DNA paternity test?

A DNA paternity test will ideally release the results you want as soon as possible. However, a DNA paternity test will involve invasive medical treatments particularly blood testing or cheek swabbing, which are the most common methods to collect samples that would let medical professionals gain access to our DNA or genetic code.

Note that even if you are currently sick, your DNA sample will not be altered or changed in any sort of way; hence, even if you are ill, you can still conduct a home DNA paternity test if ever you need to undergo one as soon as possible. The same also applies to our non-invasive prenatal paternity test where the sample provided is blood from the mother and a swab from the alleged father.

However, even if your sickness will not alter your DNA sample, the medical treatments that you are undergoing could change the way your DNA is formed.

Some of the most common medical procedures that could potentially alter DNA include bone marrow and stem cell transplants. Basically, any medical treatment that involves the receiving of a transplant of some kind that contains foregin DNA puts your own DNA at risk of being altered. If you have gone through similar procedures, other methods of paternity testing might be advised for you.

Are there extra measures necessary when sending a DNA sample?

Whether you are healthy or currently ill, it is a must to handle your cheek swab sample with utmost care and prevent it from getting contaminated. Contamination is generally not an issue if you are undergoing a test at a proper DNA testing facility as there will be medical professionals looking after the integrity of the swab.

However, with home DNA paternity tests, which could be your best option if you are currently sick, there is always a chance that your sample can get contaminated. The entire process should be carefully handled and free from contaminants, from the time you collect cheek cells from your mouth until you securely seal your sample inside a paper envelope. You should also make sure that your sample is not too wet as it could rip the envelope, exposing the sample to foreign particles and contaminants.

Undergoing a DNA paternity test during the pandemic

Understandably, most medical facilities and laboratories all over the world are devoting their manpower and resources for a united cause: to combat the current Covid-19 pandemic. Expect to be turned away by some facilities if you are applying for a DNA test as not every facility is willing to get their employees exposed to DNA kit samples from a potential carrier of the virus.

If you do find a facility that is willing to test your DNA sample, it is also best to not expect a result right away. Expect a delay in the release of your results and try to understand that right now, your DNA results might not be the facility’s top priority.

Nevertheless, see to it that you do the home DNA paternity testing process well and make sure that your swab sample is not contaminated. You might not receive your DNA results as quickly as before, but you can be sure that your test would not reach an inconclusive result brought upon by accidental contamination.

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