Expert Consensus on Clinical Specimen Preservation and Biosafety Protection in the Context of Managing COVID-19 with Measures against Class B Infectious Diseases

During the past three years, the national prevention and control policies for coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) have gone from"Class A control" to "Class B control". Therefore, it is necessary to reexamine the biosafety risks, carry out corresponding biosafety protection practices, and formulate management measures for clinical Biobank when conducting sample preservation activities. It is imperative to improve the biosafety protection system in view of the constantly mutating characteristics and potential risks of novel coronavirus. Professional Committee of Clinical Data and Sample Resource Database of China Research Hospital Association and the Human Genetic Resource Conservation and Application Society of Guangdong Province jointly drafted and formulated this consensus. We aim to provide practical guidance on biosafety protection for sample preservation activities, reduce biosafety risks, and ensure the safe and efficient implementation of sample preservation activities.