Table 2. Best practices to support biological safety for personal working on samples from lung cancer patients in pathology, biobank and/or research laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Assessment by RT-PCR testing of the COVID-19 status for patients undergoing thoracic surgery and/or lung endoscopy

2. Transport of samples from patients with positive or unknown status for COVID-19 by courier transport only, banning the use of pneumatic tube

3. Use of certified BSC 2 for gross macroscopy of fresh tissue sample, frozen section procedure and fresh cytological and liquid sample management

4. Use of centrifuge with sealed rotor or safety cups for cytological and liquid sample management

5. Optimal personal protective equipment: FFP2/FFP3 masks or N95 respiratory type; two pairs of gloves; safety face shields or plastic glasses; surgical cap and overshoes; plastic apron over a disposable coat

6. Identify personal affected through the workflow of samples from COVID-19 infected patients in pathology, biobank and research laboratories

7. Provide all available information on biological risks to personal of pathology, biobank and the research laboratories

8. Develop an appropriate training and educational program, including best practices for working in a BSL2 environment, and give practical recommendation (such as banning multihead microscope examination of clinical cases, or how to use disinfection protocol, etc.)

COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction; BSC 2, biological safety cabinet of class II; FFP, filtering facepiece; BSL2, biosafety level 2.