MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY SETUP AND MAINTENANCE FOR SARS-COV-2

Abstract

Abstract Aim: Importance of laboratory diagnosis has come to the spotlight once again with the Covid-19 pandemic caused by Sars-CoV-2 and significant changes have taken place in terms of laboratory operation. A global effort has emerged when all healthcare professionals faced a biological threat. Interlaboratory collaboration and multidisciplinary approach contributed to this effort. This study aims to explain step-by-step establishment of a fully capable laboratory for Sars-CoV-2 diagnosis to support local and global fight for the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Several precautions were taken, and disaster plans were updated because of the changes in employee health and workload distribution. Some of these are setting up a laboratory from scratch for microorganism diagnostic tests performed in pandemic cases, measures for healthcare workers, personnel assignment planning, changes in the variety and number of tests, innovations in quality standards and the contribution of laboratories to scientific studies. Results: XXXXX Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory has become one of the laboratories in Türkiye where Sars-Cov-2 and its mutations have been studied the most with 1,710,856 samples between 01 October 2020 and 01 May 2022 since its establishment and it has become the laboratory with the highest number of equipment and technical personnel in the capital. Conclusion: This study summarizes all the phases of XXXXX Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory beginning with its establishment from the scratch and covers all the steps to render this facility fully operational. Keywords: COVID-19, laboratory disaster planning, laboratory staff, personal protective equipment, Sars-CoV-2