Correia, HelenaSilva, Susana PereiraVentura, CatarinaCristovão, PaulaJúlio, CláudiaMelo, AryseGuiomar, RaquelFaria, Ana Paula2022-07-082022-07-082021-10http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/8117The initial strategy for containing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 was the prompt identification of COVID-19 cases, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). These recommendations demanded an expansion of the laboratory capacity to implement the testing procedures to detect SARS-CoV-2. In March 2020, the Portuguese National External Quality Assessment Program (PNAEQ) with the collaboration of the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) implemented a pilot round of External Quality Assessment program (EQA) for detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus by molecular methods and with the WHO collaboration on the second round. The aim of this work is to report the results of the implementation of a national external quality assessment program for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus.engAvaliação Externa da QualidadeAEQPrograma Nacional de Avaliação Externa da QualidadePNAEQSARS-CoV-2Molecular DetectionExternal Quality AssessmentEQACOVID-19Infecções RespiratóriasPortugalconference object