The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread globally since its first detection in December 2019. In many regions, the COVID-19 is now entering a second and subsequent waves of outbreak. A recent survey by The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) Task Force on COVID-19 has revealed that laboratories have had to change their operations to manage the pandemic, including diverting resources and deferring services.
Pediatric laboratory medicine is a unique practice serving a vulnerable group of patients. It includes highly specialized testing that aims to detect and treat inherited conditions early to avoid adverse outcomes. This survey by the IFCC Committee on Emerging Technologies in Pediatric Laboratory Medicine (C-ETPLM), in partnership with the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM) and the International Society for Neonatal Screening (ISNS), is conducted to:
- Understand how laboratories serving the pediatric population have changed their clinical service delivery in response to the initial wave (January to July 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Evaluate how these changes are affecting clinical care
- Gather experiences learned from managing the initial wave(s) of the pandemic to improve laboratory preparedness for future outbreaks
This 17-item survey is completely voluntary and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. The results of this survey will be analyzed in an aggregated manner and published to inform the larger clinical community. No individually identifiable information will be made public. The privacy of individuals shall be respected. By proceeding with this survey, you have provided an implied consent to the above.
Deadline to submit the survey is : 15 March 2021
Click here to start the survey
For queries about the survey, please contact Dr Tim Lang (tim.lang@nhs.net)
