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Practical laboratory considerations amidst the COVID-19 outbreak: early experience from Singapore

Shaun S Tan1, Benedict Yan2, Sharon Saw2

  • 1National University Hospital, Singapore shaun_sy_tan@nuhs.edu.sg.

Journal of Clinical Pathology
|March 22, 2020
PubMed

Insights

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic required enhanced laboratory testing and stringent biosafety measures. This article shares early experiences managing COVID-19 laboratory testing challenges and offers practical considerations.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a novel coronavirus, emerged in late 2019.
  • It is a global health emergency with rapid transmission and potential for severe respiratory illness.
  • Singapore implemented enhanced surveillance and increased real-time PCR testing for suspected pneumonia cases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To share a tertiary institution's early experiences in managing the COVID-19 crisis.
  • To provide practical considerations for laboratory testing during the pandemic.
  • To address challenges in preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical phases of testing.

Main Methods:

  • Review of laboratory operations and biosafety protocols.
  • Analysis of testing volumes and turnaround times.
  • Evaluation of infectious control measures for patient samples.

Main Results:

  • Increased testing led to significant implications for laboratory operations and personnel.
  • Biosafety concerns necessitated stringent infectious control measures.
  • Potential impact on routine testing turnaround times was observed.

Conclusions:

  • Managing the COVID-19 crisis requires robust laboratory infrastructure and protocols.
  • Adapting preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical phases is crucial for effective testing.
  • Early institutional experience provides valuable insights for pandemic preparedness.

Keywords:
chemical pathologychemistryinfection controllaboratory management

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