key: cord-0808889-0vzi8wd5
authors: Da Zhuang, Kun; Tan, Bien Soo; Tan, Ban Hock; Too, Chow Wei; Tay, Kiang Hiong
title: Old Threat, New Enemy: Is Your Interventional Radiology Service Ready for the Coronavirus Disease 2019?
date: 2020-02-26
journal: Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol
DOI: 10.1007/s00270-020-02440-6
sha: 30836d66d50f9a9aab7d5b3ebd349b9bc061eac2
doc_id: 808889
cord_uid: 0vzi8wd5

nan

respirators and powered air-purifying respirators. Tissue or fluid specimens must be considered infectious and be transported in leak-proof specimen bags by personnel who are trained in safe handling practices and spill decontamination procedures. Meticulous room and medical equipment disinfection, in accordance with local infection prevention guidelines, will be needed after procedures on these patients.

As the epidemic unfolds, expect swift changes of hospital protocols due to ramping up of infection control measures. It is important for IR to plug into the hospital disease outbreak management team to remain responsive and aligned with hospital protocols.

The above measures have been progressively implemented in our institution since the onset of the outbreak in Singapore. This has resulted in a significant decrease in patient throughput, a necessary sacrifice to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

We are hopeful that timely and consistent implementation of these measures will prepare your IR service not just for the current but also for future infectious disease threats.

A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China

Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan

Is your interventional radiology service ready for SARS?: The Singapore experience

Severe acute respiratory syndrome: 11 years later-a radiology perspective

Transmission of 2019-nCoV infection from an asymptomatic contact in Germany

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Conflict of interest The authors report no conflict of interest.