Disinfection and Sanitation Measures in an Accredited Testing Laboratory - Retrospect of COVID-19 Infection

ABSTRACT

Living and working environments are most often closed spaces where it is necessary to provide health protection for family members and employees. Some activities require special protection, especially during a pandemic. The living and working environments can be kept clean and tidy in three ways by cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitising. This paper presents a review of the literature linking disinfectants, their use, and resistance of microorganisms to disinfectants. In addition, it gives an overview of critical points that have arisen in various testing laboratories in the Republic of Croatia, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a consequence of the lack of guidelines in norms. The literature search was conducted based on the keyword 'disinfection' in PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar databases, and on the CDC and HZJZ websites due to the latest recommendations regarding COVID-19 infections. Results have shown that a norm is a basic document that needs a specific upgrade depending on the type of laboratory and its activities, and it should not be an independent decision of each individual laboratory. Based on the identified needs and problems, state institutions should provide detailed instructions depending on the laboratory activity. Therefore, this situation and the experience gained should be used as a starting point for document development that could be applicable in crisis states generally. In addition, it could be used as a basis for education and training in crisis states.