Reacting rapidly to the ongoing threat of COVID-19
How CILS can help you
CILS has been working with the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to tackle coronavirus.
Our rapid response to this US department highlights how CILS can help other health departments to be better prepared for this outbreak or any other future health challenge the public may face.
How we helped
The collection and testing of specimens from patients who present with symptoms of COVID-19 has become an urgent priority for hospitals and clinics across the USA.
Our rapid response to the HHS will help to ensure the health sector has the necessary tools to collect specimen samples from patients with suspected coronavirus symptoms in order to send for testing and to implement quarantine measures to limit the outbreak.
72-hour turnaround to supply 600,000 labels
Within 72 hours of our first conversation with the HHS we went into production with the labels they needed.
What labels we provided
The World Health Organisation guidance states certain COVID-19 specimens must be stored at 2-8°C for up to 72 hours after collection.
If a delay in testing or shipping is expected, specimens must be stored at -70°C on dry ice, therefore our CILS Cap and Tube labels and self-laminating labels are ideal.
Our cap and tube and self-laminating laboratory labels can be used reliably to identify samples, using 5mm diameter labels. This enables easy barcode scanning.
They can resist extreme temperatures (-196°C to +155°C), allowing for secure transportation and cold storage. They are also resistant to laboratory solvents such as xylene, DMSO and IPA as well as sterilization and autoclave cycles, water baths and centrifuge processes.
CILS self-laminating wrap-around label options provide added durability to protect sample data.
Contact us to find out more
If you need a rapid response to provide durable labels for your coronavirus test samples, contact us to find out about the labels mentioned here, plus other options that might be more suitable for your specific requirements.
Written by Oliver Stockton, Managing Director, CILS