Open AccessApproach to Sample Collection, Transport and Processing of Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Patients for Biochemistry Investigations
Author(s) -
Apeksha Niraula,
Basanta Gelal,
Madhab Lamsal
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of nepal medical association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.176
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1815-672X
pISSN - 0028-2715
DOI - 10.31729/jnma.5705
Subject(s) - medicine , pandemic , biosafety , protocol (science) , transmission (telecommunications) , disease , health care , health professionals , covid-19 , medical emergency , environmental health , sample (material) , intensive care medicine , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty) , alternative medicine , chemistry , chromatography , economic growth , electrical engineering , economics , engineering
During this global pandemic period of COVID-19, the health care system is the most affected area. Health care workers including clinicians, laboratory professionals, and other allied health workers pose a high threat for acquiring and transmission the disease. Apart from the diagnosis of disease by the RT-PCR, other laboratory investigations are equally essential in disease prognosis and monitoring. This biosafety guidance is intended to provide and insight to the clinicians, nurses, and laboratory professionals in handling the blood and other body fluid samples for biochemical investigations concerning the proper methods of sample collection, transport, processing, and disposal. Every day, the laboratory receives samples of the patient with confirmed and suspected cases of COVID-19 patients. This poses a high threat of contamination to the health professionals and thus, a proper risk assessment and standard precautions protocol must be followed to ensure safety, minimize the risk of contamination and disease transmission.