Fighting COVID-19: The Medical Laboratory Involvement

*Obeta M. Uchejeso, Jwanse I. Rinpan, Mantu E. Chongs and Maureen O. Ekpere-Ezeugwu*

## **Abstract**

The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) virus has infected many people across the globe. The health system particularly medical laboratory has been overwhelmed by the pandemic, and many health professionals including medical laboratory professionals have lost their lives during the fight against the virus. Medical laboratory science is the bedrock of medical practice and the role of medical laboratory science in containing the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be overemphasized as they are also behind the testing of clinical specimens from infected and any recovered patients. As disease detectives, Medical laboratory scientists and other medical laboratory professionals' role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic include; diagnosis, monitoring, development of vaccines, testing protocols, testing kits, offering advice to the guide government policy on containment of the virus.: Various methods and techniques such as virological cell culture, genomic sequencing, amplification, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) /gene Xpert systems, immunological testing, biosensors and rapid diagnostic techniques (RDTs) have been employed towards discovery, testing and epidemiology since the onset of COVID-19. The medical laboratory workers and other health workers are so visible at the COVID-19 frontline and are being recognized and applauded for the role played in the recovery of patients affected with the virus. The medical laboratory component is very germane in the COVID-19 vaccine research and vaccination so as to provide pre- and post-vaccination laboratory data.

**Keywords:** COVID-19, laboratory testing, medical laboratory, involvements, interventions, technologies, medical laboratory scientists

### **1. Introduction**

Medical laboratory is a very important component in public health practice and operation especially in case of COVID-19. Medical Laboratory Science practice involves the analysis of human specimen like body fluids, excretion and various body swabs for the purpose of medical laboratory diagnosis, treatment and research [1] of which coronavirus is the one under study. It is important to note that medical laboratory science can also be called Clinical Laboratory Science or Medical Laboratory Technology depending on the nomenclature in the countries of practice [2].

The historical trend of COVID-19 pandemic [3–6] has adequately placed medical laboratory services in a very critical aspect in containment of the disease across the globe. The medical laboratories play a critical role in the detection, management, disease surveillance and control in provision of accurate health data for national

planning and decision making and COVID-19 is not an exception. Timely access and geographical availability of COVID-19 diagnostic testing remains a challenge in the health system and could affect ongoing containment measures [7] for the COVID-19.

The first medical diagnosis made by humans were done by ancient scientists through observation with their physical senses. The ancient Greek attributed all diseases to disorders of bodily fluids called humors, and during late medieval period, then later with the advent of microscope, the microscopy procedure on such specimens have revealed more [8] followed by later technologies, automations, sophistications and molecular testing in the current age.

This chapter shall review the medical laboratory involvement and intervention during COVID-19 era and the ongoing efforts towards supporting laboratory surveillance and response to COVID 19. It will equally show the capacity of medical laboratory perspectives in COVID-19 and provide more information on the medical laboratory testing strategy, towards developing and managing sudden capacities for testing relevant specimens at all levels of health system. Also, the approaches for ensuring laboratory testing sustainability in identifying new and suitable methods consistent with maximizing testing reagents, mobilizing human resources and guide towards implementation of public health measures towards COVID-19 containment, while exploring the recognition and protection policies for medical laboratory professionals during COVID-19 shall be presented.
