What should a person do while performing a buccal swab?

While performing a buccal swab, it is crucial to ensure that the collected sample is maintained in its most viable state for analysis. The correct action is to avoid drying the sample before packaging it. Buccal swabs are typically preserved in a moist state to retain viable cellular material, which is essential for accurate results during DNA analysis or other forensic examinations. When a sample is dried out, it may lose important genetic material or degrade, leading to potential issues with identification or analysis.

Maintaining the integrity of the sample during the entire collection and packaging process is vital, which is why it is important not to dry it out first. This becomes especially relevant when considering the packaging of swabs; they should be collected and stored in a manner that preserves their condition.