HORIBA-LIVE Season-1: “COVID TIMES”

WELCOME: Webinar hosted by HORIBA – We will start in a while…

➢ How to handle routine lab test samples ?

➢ What are the Safety measures to follow during processing

of routine test ?

➢ What PPE’s to follow ?

“CHALLENGES IN ROUTINE LABORATORY SAFETY PRACTICES”
Dr. C N Srinivas
Director
Dept. of Laboratory Medicine
MIOT International Hospitals,Chennai,India
 Happy World Health day 7th April 2020

Dedicated to all
the
Doctors & Health
Care workers
Who are sacrificing
their
Lives to Save life.
 Objectives of my talk

• GCLP in Preanalytics :
Sample handling ( Collection / Transportation / Accessioning )

• Safety measures during processing of samples in

Haematology, Biochemistry, Serology , Clinical Pathology
• Specific Safety measures / recommendations for Lab
Professionals with infectious material handling

.
 Preface

• Incident : on a night shift, 59/M

• Avid Traveller, recent history of fever and breathlessness
• Bronchial lavage for COVID 19 testing.
Risk Management
Risk Management
Risk Management
Risk Management
Risk Management
Risk Management
• Personnel – Me and My Patients

• Specimen – DOs and Donts

• Environment – Clinical and Non Clinical (Home and Roam)

• Testing System – Disinfect and Decontaminate

• Water and Waste

Biosafety laboratory
 Personnel – Me and my Patients

• Personnel safety

• Patient Safety
 Personnel safety – Personnel Protective Equipments (PPE)

• Mask

• Hand Hygiene

• Gowns

• Goggles or face shield

 N95 Respirators Not for Use by the General Public

• The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not
recommend that the general public wear N95 respirators to
protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including
Coronavirus (COVID-19).
 CDC Recommends Cloth Face Coverings for Use by the General Public

• The CDC recommends that members of the

public use simple cloth face coverings when
in a public setting to slow the spread of the
virus, since this will help people who may
have the virus and do not know it from
transmitting it to others.
N 95 mask : Wear and tear
Hand hygiene
Hand Hygeine
Risk Assessment - Specimen Requirements
Phleobotmy Waiting area
Clinical specimens & COVID
Recommended Test List for COVID patients in Health Care Setting
Environment – Clinical and Non Clinical areas
Out patient Department
Ward
Isolation Wards
Operation Theatre
Handling of Linen
Environment – Testing System
 Testing system – Class II BSC

• Use either a certified Class II Type A1 or A2 BSC or additional

precautions to provide a barrier between the specimen and
personnel. Examples of these additional precautions include
personal protective equipment (PPE), such as a surgical mask or
face shield, or other physical barriers, like a splash shield; centrifuge
safety cups; and sealed centrifuge rotors to reduce the risk of
exposure to laboratory personnel.
Water and Waste
 Risk Categorisation

• High risk health care worker

• Low risk health care worker

Risk categorisation
Risk management for high risk healthcare workers
Risk management for Low risk healthcare workers
 Myth Busters

• Exposing yourself to the sun or to temperatures higher than 25C degrees

DOES NOT prevent the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

• You can recover from the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Catching the
new Coronavirus DOES NOT mean you will have it for life.

• Being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing or
feeling discomfort DOES NOT mean you are free from the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) or any other lung disease.
 Myth Busters

• Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be
dangerous

• COVID-19 virus can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates

• Cold weather and snow CANNOT kill the new coronavirus.

• Taking a hot bath does not prevent the new coronavirus disease
 Myth Busters
• Can an ultraviolet disinfection lamp kill the new Corona virus?

• Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new Corona
virus?

• Do vaccines against pneumonia protect you against the new Corona

virus?

• Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new Corona

virus?
END OF SESSION ONE