COVID19 research has prompted an upsurge in routine RNA methods for analyzing a "nonroutine" (novel) disease. Whether it's for sequencing or PCR methods; preparation of the target RNA is critical for driving the downstream application results. In this technical note, we revisit nucleic acid extraction prep and review mainstream methods in the context of isolating VIRAL RNA from its sample. Consider our insight in your lab and see if it can help optimize your sample prep or maybe save on material costs!