What should I do if I have touched the cotton side of the test stick?

It is very important that the cotton side of the test stick remains sterile and is therefore not touched or comes into contact with any objects. The test may otherwise become invalid. Also, do not dip the cotton side of the stick into the test fluid before taking the sample from the nose to avoid skin contact with the test fluid. If the stick becomes contaminated, please dispose of it accordingly and use a new one for your test.