Considerations for Maintaining Safety in Biobanks during the COVID-۱۹ Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Backgrounds: COVID-۱۹ diagnostic testing and research substantially depend on high-quality COVID-۱۹ specimens, for which biobanks are an important repository. This systematic review aimed to highlight the considerations for maintaining safety in biobanks during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic. Materials & Methods: A systematic review of literature was conducted using the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The literature search was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and Directory of Open Access Journal because of their high indexation on many journals. Pre-defined search terms were used in the literature search. Overall, ۷,۱۸۴ articles were retrieved, and ۲,۰۵۴ duplicates among them were removed. After screening for eligibility using pre-defined criteria, ۱۲ articles were included in the review. Findings: Challenges faced by biobanks amid the COVID-۱۹ pandemic include poor handling of COVID-۱۹ specimens, poor sample collection, and sample contamination due to unclarified standard operating procedures. Strategies such as developing a framework for governing and monitoring the export of biological samples should be employed to overcome dangers eminent in the collection of biological samples. Total adherence to standard operating procedures should be ensured to maintain safety in COVID-۱۹ samples collection, handling, and storage modalities. A deficit in material supply should be promptly addressed. Conclusion: Compliance with issued guidelines should be ensured by the management and staff of COVID-۱۹ biobanks.

Keywords:

Biobanks , COVID-۱۹ , Safety of COVID-۱۹ samples , COVID-۱۹ research.