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Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Reopening Procedure to Limit COVID-19 Transmission

BS-COVID19SOP001.2-New-biosafety-guidelines-during-Covid-19-pandemic-Final

Safety Protocols

This SOP outlines the safety protocols the Core will take to limit transmission of COVID-19. By using the Core, investigators agree to abide by the protocols set forth.

 

  • All Clients should wear their own provided lab coats, surgical masks and eye protection. They may bring their own gloves or use core provided gloves to be worn within the core. Lab coats cannot be stored in the core.
  • All Clients shall utilize their lab-provided face shields while operating the machines in B021C or during training.Face shields will be stored by clients in sealed bags provided by core labelled with the client’s name and will be maintained by the client in their lab for future use when in the core. Shields will not be stored in the core, except for core staff.
  • 50% occupancy: Only one person will be allowed at each machine during the duration of an experiment with the exception of training. Training will be done primarily through remote viewer and newly prepared training videos.When training in person, both the trainer and trainee will wear all PPE listed as well as face shields and will limit time and exposure when 6 ft distancing is not practical.
  • Clients will bring only their prepared samples with them during the operation of each experiment. This will be limited to racks containing the prepared samples and ice buckets as needed.  Extraneous lab equipment limited to pipettors and pipet tips will be permitted.
  • Clients should clean the lab bench, keyboard and computer mouse with provided cleaning materials before and after use.

 

MATERIALS:

  • One of the following:
    • 70% Ethanol
    • 10% Bleach solutions
    • Disinfectant wipes
    • Cavicide solution (active against SARS-CoV-2)

 

EQUIPMENT:

  • Paper towels
  • Spray bottles
  • Gloves

 

PROCEDURE: Client should perform one of the following depending on available disinfectant:

 

  1. Wearing gloves, wipe down the machine, mouse, keyboard, and surrounding work area with a clean, wet, alcohol wipe. Let sit visibly wet for at least 10 minutes or until evaporated.
  2. 70% Ethanol may be sprayed onto the machine, mouse, keyboard, and surrounding work area until visibly wet; let sit for at least 10 minutes. Wipe with clean paper towels. This should be performed during the prescribed instrument cleaning after each client run.
  3. Or, 10% Bleach solution (made fresh daily) may be sprayed onto a clean paper towel until wet. Wipe down machine, mouse, keyboard, and surrounding work area with paper towel. Ensure all surfaces are dry before use. Metal surfaces should not be cleaned with bleach.
  4. Alternately, use commercial Cavicide as directed by manufacture if available.

 

All instruments should be decontaminated by the user before and after each instrument appointment.

 

 

Scheduling

All instrument calendars have been disabled for scheduling except by staff. To request schedule please provide the instrument, date, and time frame (beginning and end) to the Flow Core email. To follow distancing protocols we ask for flexibility in times as we strive to accommodate everyone in the Core. Occupancy limits are listed below

 

Room B018 (LSR II/CyAn/Attune/Aurora):  Maximum of 4 people at any given time.

Room B022 (MoFlo XDP): Maximum of 2 people at any given time

 

BSL2 suite:

Room B021A (Aria III): Maximum of 2 people at any given time

Room B021B (Aria II): Maximum of 2 people at any given time.

Room B021C (Fortessa/Attune/iQue/ImageStreamX): Maximum of 3 people at any given time.

Note:  in B021C, due to enclosed space and longer exposure time, investigators are required to wear surgical masks and face shields.

 

PPE (except face shields) will be provided by investigators’ labs and department

 

Training

As of June 1, 2020 the Core is still in the process of converting our training program into one suitable for remote and distanced learning.

The Core aims to have instrument training resume in 2-3 weeks. If you have completed the online modules via Work-flow, email your certificate to the staff and we will guide you on the next steps.

We will be implementing an additional training module focused on Best Practices with Ramiro Diz. This module will need to be completed before access to the calendar is given. For questions or more information, please contact Ayrianna.