# Extracting geo-location from lab annotation

**URL:** <https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [December 28, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239 "2020-12-28T21:39:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![guslac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/848f3c/32.png) [@guslac](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/guslac)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/1 "2020-12-28T21:39:24Z")

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Does anyone have a good way to convert lab names into coordinates?

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**Author:** ![emmahodcroft](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/nextstrain.discourse.group/emmahodcroft/32/14_2.png) [@emmahodcroft](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/emmahodcroft)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/2 "2020-12-30T09:36:56Z")

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Hi @guslac - just to note, it’s good to be careful when trying to do this, as labs often take samples that may be from outside their immediate area (a good example of this is the UK, where labs are sent samples from across the country). The most reliable geographic location of a sample is what’s given in the metadata!

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**Author:** ![guslac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/848f3c/32.png) [@guslac](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/guslac)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 4:38pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/3 "2020-12-30T16:38:09Z")

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Thanks @emmahodcroft . Unfortunately I haven’t had access to metadata for ~1 month now, as explained in this thread: [Nextmeta nextfasta not on gisaid](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/nextmeta-nextfasta-not-on-gisaid/224)

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**Author:** ![emmahodcroft](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/nextstrain.discourse.group/emmahodcroft/32/14_2.png) [@emmahodcroft](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/emmahodcroft)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/4 "2020-12-30T17:28:11Z")

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I see - I’m sorry we haven’t gotten back on this! It’s been a pretty crazy time right now and it’s hard to keep on top of all the issues. I’m sorry that the solution of some others uses didn’t work, either. Unfortunately this is a GISAID issue, and we can’t offer any direct help here. I’d suggest reaching out via their contact email to ask them about it - perhaps they can help?

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**Author:** ![guslac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/848f3c/32.png) [@guslac](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/guslac)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/5 "2020-12-30T19:57:20Z")

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> [@emmahodcroft](#):
>
> we haven’t gotten back on this! It’s been a pretty crazy time right now and it’s hard to keep on top of all the issues. I’m sorry that the solution of some others uses didn’t work, either. Unfortunately this is a GISAID issue, and we can

Does GSAID have an actual email address, or just the Contact form?

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**Author:** ![emmahodcroft](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/nextstrain.discourse.group/emmahodcroft/32/14_2.png) [@emmahodcroft](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/u/emmahodcroft)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://nextstrain.discourse.group/t/extracting-geo-location-from-lab-annotation/239/6 "2020-12-30T20:09:25Z")

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Hi @guslac - Sorry, I thought there was an email, but perhaps they prefer people to use the form these days, if there’s no email listed!