The Ministry of Health and Community Protection has set standards for collecting samples of Covid-19 in health facilities, and the assistant undersecretary of the ministry, Dr. Amin Hussain Al-Amiri, said that the standards aim to control work procedures while fighting the emerging corona virus, and to ensure the interests of patients, health workers, and health protection Public in society at the moment.
Al-Amiri stressed in Circular No. (7683) recently issued to medical areas, private hospitals, and private health facilities, to adhere to five controls related to health workers, sample collection, storage, packaging, and transportation, as workers must be trained to collect, store and package samples Transfer them, provided that health-care workers collecting samples adhere to infection prevention and control guidelines, and use personal protection measures that include, N95 masks, eye protectors, hand gloves, and a full protection gown.
The circular indicated that it is necessary to take the sample in global transport media with two packs of one milliliter capacity, or in one 3ml container, and the patient's data must be filled out on the package such as name, ID number and date of sampling accompanied by the sample transfer list.
Regarding the storage of samples, the circular clarified that the samples should be transferred to the laboratory as soon as possible, and stored at a temperature of 2-8 degrees if the storage will take 5 days in less, and if there is a delay in transferring the sample from this period, the sample should be stored in Temperature - 70 degrees or less.
Regarding the packaging conditions, the Ministry confirmed that it is preferable to package the samples individually if possible, and care must be taken to avoid contamination with Covid 19 virus, for any of the smears in the prepacked container.