The sites for nucleic acid testing for novel coronavirus include the nasal cavity, the back wall of the throat, or the anus. Nucleic acid testing is an important method of diagnosing novel coronavirus infections. Currently, there are three types of nucleic acid tests: nasopharyngeal swab, oropharyngeal swab, and anal swab. Nasopharyngeal swabs are performed in the nasal cavity, oropharyngeal swabs are performed in the back of the throat, and anal swabs are performed in the anus. Oropharyngeal swab testing is convenient and fast, suitable for mass screening; nasopharyngeal swab testing accuracy is higher than oropharyngeal swab, but the discomfort during the testing process is stronger than oropharyngeal swab, which is generally commonly used in healthcare units more; and anal swab accuracy and sensitivity is higher than that of nasopharyngeal swab, and at present, anal swab collection is only used for isolation points and other key populations. In conclusion, different populations do nucleic acid testing in different ways, and their testing sites are also different. When doing nucleic acid testing, it is important to do a good job of personal protection.