Healthcare professional older than 60 or with co-morbidities should avoid working.
Scheduled shift work and/or staggered shifts.
Conserve minimal social distancing of 1.5 m.
The study request should include complete clinical information and indicate whether the patient is COVID-19 positive, suspected or negative.
Positive or suspected COVID-19 patients should be scheduled at the end of the shift to avoid contaminating the work area.Wash hands with soap and water before and after the procedure.
Staff should use full PPE: N95 or higher mask, long sleeved gown, gloves (preferably nitrile), surgical cap, boots, face shield and safety glasses.The procedure should be carried out in a ventilated environment, and whenever possible the patient should be admitted alone.
The patient should wear a surgical mask throughout the entire procedure.
Whenever possible, limit the number of samples obtained (one of them for the cell block).
Expulsion of the material from the needle should be gentle, with the bevel pointing down and in contact with the slide, and with the greatest distance possible during preparation for extension.Carry out evaluations immediately on fresh samples only if it is necessary and fix the slide in 96% alcohol.On finishing, the equipment, physical environment and surfaces in contact with the sample and the patient must be cleaned and disinfected.The cytological report will be produced in a conventional form.
Tell the appropriate person about any staff contact with a patient with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, or if there have been any technical complications or problems with the PPE during the procedure.Ideally, it is recommended that the technical processing of the sample be performed in a Class II biosafety cabinet.
