Interim laboratory biosafety guidelines for handling and processing specimens associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (U.S.). Division of Viral Diseases.
• Description:
  Updated June 11, 2021
  
  All clinical specimens may contain potentially infectious materials. Precautions should be taken when handling specimens suspected or confirmed to be positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Timely communication between clinical and laboratory staff is essential to minimize the potential risk of handling specimens from patients with possible SARS-CoV-2 infection. These specimens should be labeled accordingly, and the receiving laboratory should be alerted to ensure proper specimen handling. General and specific biosafety guidelines for handling SARS-CoV-2 specimens are provided below. For additional information on handling SARS-CoV-2 specimens, refer to the Laboratory Frequently Asked Questions.
  
  
• Content Notes:
  General Guidance -- Routine Diagnostic Testing -- Anatomic Pathology -- Decentralized and Point-of-Care Testing -- Environmental Testing -- Specimen Packing and Shipping -- Procedures with a High Likelihood of Generating Droplets or Aerosols -- Virus Isolation -- Decontamination -- Laboratory Waste Management -- Additional Resources.
• Subjects:
  Clinical Laboratory Techniques Communicable Diseases, Emerging Containment Of Biohazards Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis COVID-19 Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis Safety Specimen Handling
• Document Type:
  Webpage
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:65b872c2d152ce5fcd9ad683121d126b65a6c0e7fd7c7bc59d9875032a900eed
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/107046/cdc_107046_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 164.71 KB ]