Biosafety measures for preventing infection from COVID-19 in clinical laboratories: IFCC Taskforce Recommendations

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the third coronavirus outbreak that has emerged in the past 20 years, after severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). One important aspect, highlighted by many global health organizations, is that this novel coronavirus outbreak may be especially hazardous to healthcare personnel, including laboratory professionals. Therefore, the aim of this document, prepared by the COVID-19 taskforce of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC), is to provide a set of recommendations, adapted from official documents of international and national health agencies, on biosafety measures for routine clinical chemistry laboratories that operate at biosafety levels 1 (BSL-1; work with agents posing minimal threat to laboratory workers) and 2 (BSL-2; work with agents associated with human disease which pose moderate hazard). We believe that the interim measures proposed in this document for best practice will help minimazing the risk of developing COVID-19 while working in clinical laboratories.</jats:p>

Laboratory biosafety measures involving SARS-CoV-2 and the classification as a Risk Group 3 biological agent

“…1 Given the novelty of the outbreak of COVID-19, the illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the rapid spread of disease, significant biosafety considerations for healthcare and laboratory personnel exist. 2 Appropriate biosafety measures and practices for the safe handling of the organism based on the assessment of potential hazards of SARS-CoV-2 must be established with high priority. 1,3 The evolution of these guidelines will lay the groundwork for developing the best code of practice regarding microbiological practices, equipment, biosafety levels (BSL) and physical containment (PC) facilities required in Australian laboratories.…”

Laboratory work safety rules and guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic in Polish clinical laboratories – do our laboratories work according to a recent IFCC Taskforce Recommendations?

“…According to recommendations, all specimens should be transported in biohazard bags that are appropriately secured. It is recommended to clearly mark the pouches with biohazard labels [2]. The results obtained provide us with a worrying conclusion that not following the correct transport procedures in these facilities may be associated with a greater risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2 infection in medical facilities.…”

“…Effective healthcare functioning depends on laboratory professionals who provide diagnostic tests that allow practitioners to confirm COVID-19 and monitor the health status of patients affected by the disease who are also suffering from many other diseases. Recently, Lippi et al published the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Taskforce recommendations, which advise on how to prevent COVID-19 infections in clinical laboratories [2]. Just before its publication, we conducted a survey among Polish laboratories to assess if and how the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO) are implemented by Polish laboratories.…”

“…The IFCC recommendations refer mainly to the group of laboratory professionals who work in routine clinical laboratories [2], thus the surveyed group should be highly interested in implementation of these guidelines. It is alarming that 10.4% of respondents lack knowledge about whether their clinical laboratories performed tests for COVID-19 infection.…”

“…The universally recognized and enforced principle of social distancing, which includes at least a 2 m distance between people recommended by the WHO [2,5], has not been implemented in 36.4% of laboratory professional workplaces. It is essential that clinical laboratories apply the principles of social distancing in their widest sense and as far as possible.…”