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Why was COVID19 testing capacity limited early on? Not only did machines need to be purchased, processes validated, supply chains were strained – nasal pharyngeal swabs, pipette tips, wipes. Even now, reagents are in short supply. #EORLA keeps problem-solving.
In 2 months, #EORLA completed as many virology tests as normally completed in 2 years. Continuously increasing the number of tests has required totally new processes, work flows and ongoing adjustments. The virology team has grown from 6 people to 29. @CHEO @OttawaHospital
Every single COVID19 testing kit is put together by a small #EORLA team in one windowless room. 100,000 (!!) as of June 11, with Lynda supported by Erin overseeing the work.
Marie handles the logistics of getting the kits out across the region, to assessment centres, long-term care homes and more. #EORLA also supports LTCHs to get the swabs back in a timely manner, keeping temperature controls in place, for rapid turnaround times.
The first COVID19 testing process performed at #EORLA’s @CHEO site was validated in 3 weeks, where that type of work would usually take 6 months, enabling testing to start in February. Soni described how samples are triaged and aliquoted ahead of running the samples.
Ann Marielle is working with the initial Nimbus machine at the @CHEO site. Now #EORLA has 3 such instruments running 24 hrs/d. Marc Desjardins points out you can buy machines but the needed qualified people with technical expertise are in short supply and must be added as well.
Patrick and Marc beside the latest automated machine that is being brought into use. This sleek creation enables continuous entry of samples 24 hrs/d, 96 at a time, for a total of 1200/day at max. 3 basic steps are completed inside – aliquoting, extraction and thermocycling.
Levy Julien’s record for manually entering COVID19 results is over 1500 in one day! She takes printouts from one system & enters them into another so clinicians and public health workers can act on the positive/negative result. Work to automate & connect interfaces is underway.
Imagine how the #EORLA team has had to process 3200 pathology slides a day with physical distancing – they extended hours of work to meet the demand and adopted #mask use early.
Drawing on their experience managing blood products, #EORLA is preparing convalescent plasma from people who were infected with COVID19 to research this as a treatment option. Thanks for letting me visit & learn (with my #mask on)! @CHEO @OttawaHospital #Innovation
