Interim Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines for Handling and Processing Specimens Associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): March 31, 2020

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (U.S.). Division of Viral Diseases.
• Description:
  March 31, 2020
  
  Until more information becomes available, precautions should be taken in handling specimens that are suspected or confirmed for SARS-CoV-2. Timely communication between clinical and laboratory staff is essential to minimize the risk incurred in handling specimens from patients with possible SARS-CoV-2 infection. Such specimens should be labeled accordingly, and the 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 Biosafety Frequently Asked Questions.
  
  General Guidance -- Routine Diagnostic Testing -- Decentralized and Point of Care Testing -- Procedures with a High Likelihood to Generate Droplets or Aerosols -- Environmental Specimen Testing -- Virus Isolation -- Decontamination -- Laboratory Waste Management -- Specimen Packing and Shipping -- Resources.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Clinical Laboratory Techniques Communicable Diseases, Emerging Containment Of Biohazards Coronavirus Infections/diagnosis COVID-19 Respiratory Tract Infections/diagnosis Safety Specimen Handling
• Series:
  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Guideline
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b78561ee050d7b2837efb4418a5743435e47bc07092f68a9e6d4b79a5b4b0d38a148a520e2815f337ae72996c57b3c0f0e29922cab141e4fc247698283048f17
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/86282/cdc_86282_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 114.55 KB ]