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Hello Visitor,
The rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation may have our members raising questions on how to best manage their laboratories during the current pandemic. These are valid concerns, especially for those laboratories outside of the tertiary institutions where hospital-based information may be sparse.
It is important that respiratory laboratories across Australia and New Zealand adhere to their local infection control procedures, the direction of their hospital’s executive along with state/territory and federal government recommendations. Events are unfolding daily and we all must keep aware of and follow the direction of recommendations from experts in the field of disease control and containment.
We encourage all our members, especially from regional and private laboratories (who may not be affiliated with a hospital), to maintain contact with their ANZSRS Regional Representative for state-based recommendations. If needed, your regional representative can direct you to a tertiary laboratory for guidance on how they are managing their laboratories within the boundaries of the respective state-based recommendations during the current pandemic. It is very encouraging that from recent discussion with some members, that this is already happening.
For reference, on March 10, the UK-based Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology (ARTP) posted a statement on their website surrounding COVID-19 and respiratory/sleep laboratories. As they mention, their guidelines were prepared in haste based on expert opinion. They also acknowledge that most lung function labs will follow their own organisational contingency plans. The ANZSRS are providing the link (https://www.artp.org.uk/News/artp-covid19-guidelines) as a reference for further information only.
As the pandemic evolves, recommendations will consequently change with it. We encourage all ANZSRS members to maintain the lines of communication with each other, check in on labs outside of metropolitan areas and those private labs in your area, and regionally.
Stay safe!
The ANZSRS board.
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