Re: COVID19: Instrument cleaning protocols

Posted by daj1u06 on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/COVID19-Instrument-cleaning-protocols-tp7590586p7590624.html

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I'm with Andreas on this, there may be asymptomatic carriers out there (including unit staff), we just don't know, so have to assume the potential that any part of the scopes that get any human contact could be contaminated, and we consider the scopes and most other ancillary instruments to effectively be impossible to decontaminate without risk of damage, hence fresh gloves on entering the unit, that can be sprayed with 70% ethanol on regular basis, prevents you contaminating or being contaminated. We have confocals, TEMs, SEMs, slide scanners and analysis PCs to name a few and are based in a large teaching hospital site, so are also thinking about trying to encourage remote access to analysis PCs to minimise footfall and movement around the unit and wider site. That being said, have yet to convince the boss to adopt those policies.

On the plus side, given reported viability on surfaces, a first thing in the morning clean and last thing at night clean may be unnecessary as if any virus at end of day lock up, will be inactive by morning? Between user cleaning may be best but we can have several dozen users in at any one time moving between instruments and don't want to give them access to spray bottles!!!!!

Dave Johnston, Biomedical Imaging, Southampton.