A Cross-Border Biorisk Toolkit for Healthcare Professionals

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Biosafety
• Pandemic Preparedness

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic exposed first responders to significant biosafety risks.
• Challenges included rapid EMS expansion, protocol changes, and PPE shortages.
• Biorisk gaps were identified in patient transport, sample handling, and data management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address critical biosafety issues faced by first responders during pandemics.
• To develop harmonised, frequently updated guidelines and a practical toolkit.
• To establish a minimum standard for pandemic response adaptable to various scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Review of scientific publications, lessons learned, and real-world pandemic experiences.
• Identification of biorisk gaps in patient transportation, sample handling, and data management.
• Development of a versatile toolkit with biosafety guidance and links to online repositories.

Main Results:

• A toolkit was created offering adaptable biosafety guidance for first responders.
• The toolkit facilitates rapid access to updated information via QR codes and mobile devices.
• It provides a standardized approach for national and cross-border responses, tested using monkeypox.

Conclusions:

• The developed toolkit enhances biorisk response by providing adaptable and standardized biosafety guidance.
• It addresses critical needs for first responders in managing pandemic-related challenges.
• The toolkit supports improved preparedness for future public health emergencies.