Correia, HelenaSilva, SusanaVentura, CatarinaMelo, AryseGuiomar, RaquelFaria, Ana Paula2024-01-222024-01-222023-04http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/8951The initial strategy for containing the spread of SARS CoV 2 was the prompt identification of COVID 19 cases. National Reference laboratory implemented the biomolecular assays to detect SARS-CoV-2. In June 2020 the Portuguese National External Quality Assessment Program (PNAEQ) in collaboration with National Reference Laboratory for Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses (NRL) organized the first National External Quality Assessment Program (EQA) for detection of SARS CoV 2 virus by molecular methods. The majority of the rounds included extra analytical questions The aim of EQA programs is to evaluate the participant’s performance and also estimate the overall detection rate of multiple national laboratories. We aimed to evaluate the results of implementation of a national external quality assessment program for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus during 2020-2022.engPNAEQSARS-CoV-2Portuguese EQA ProgramMolecular DetectionExternal Quality Assessment PAvaliação Externa da QualidadeAEQPrograma Nacional de Avaliação Externa da QualidadeInfecções RespiratóriasPortugalconference object