Laboratories should always follow standard precautions whenever handling suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 clinical specimens which may contain potentially infectious materials. The exact implementation of standard precautions should be determined by an activity- and site-specific risk assessment and may vary between laboratories.
Standard precautions and practices common in the clinical laboratory include:
- Following routine laboratory practices and procedures for decontamination of work surfaces and management of laboratory waste.
- Hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as laboratory coats or gowns, gloves, and eye protection when indicated.
- Additional practices to ensure respiratory hygiene, sharps safety, safe injection practices, and effective management of sterilization and disinfection for equipment and environmental surfaces.
- If needed, additional precautions can be used, such as a surgical mask or face shield, or other physical barriers, such as a splash shield to work behind.
Further information about standard precaution can be found from the CDC
here.