COVID-19 Test Kit Temperature Monitoring

The rapid spread of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) is being largely driven by infected individuals that do not show symptoms, exacerbated by new, unprecedented processes without appropriate controls. We are now fuelling demand for tens of thousands of test kits to be used daily, however these kits require samples to be transported en masse, safely and securely to a lab for diagnosis.

UPDATE – COVID-19 Test Kits: Shipping Guidelines

Global guidelines have been issued for the storage and transport of COVID-19 specimens.

• Ship specimens frozen (-20°C) (preferred method)
• As an alternative, if refrigerated, specimens may be held between 2-8°C and shipped overnight to CDC (or other test labs)

Following these guidelines will reduce specimen rejection rate as temperatures outside of this range can result in catastrophic “false-negative” results. A false-negative has dangerous implications to further spread of the virus as individuals will not self-quarantine if they do not believe they are ill, resulting in continued spread of the virus.

The Problem

Transport is often the weak link in terms of safety procedures due to inconsistent temperature conditions, and therefore where test kit samples are most at risk of becoming invalid. The best cast scenario in this circumstance would be for the sample to be rejected upon delivery to the lab, rather than being used to diagnose a false-negative. However even this is incredibly costly, wasting vital resources and valuable time, as it would necessitate re-diagnosis. This makes temperature control a major variable in test-effectiveness and our continued ability to provide the resources we will need throughout this crisis.

The Solution

The Cold Chain Complete is ideally suited for monitoring test kit samples within the 2-8°C temperature window, saving valuable lab time..

• Keep test samples between 2-8C during transport to testing laboratories
• Avoid false negative results with clear temperature breech identification
• Save valuable time and lab resources.
• Affordable solution.
• Test must be performed within 3 days

It combines two indicators into a single card: Warm (8°C) and Freeze (2°C), ensuring that COVID-19 tests stay within the required range throughout their journey. A simple ‘red=bad’ system provides a clear warning that the test kit samples have become invalid at a glance. This ultimately protects the patient from a false-negative diagnosis and may prevent further spread of the disease.

Alternatively, WarmMark can be used to monitor test kits deep frozen below -20°C, extending the eligibility of test kits up to a maximum of 5 days for most countries in Europe.

The Indicator card should be placed as close to the test vials as possible.

Cards must be preconditioned prior to placement for shipping:
4.4°C to 5°C / 40°F to 41°F storage for the freeze indicator, warm indicator is field armable

To find out more about our ShockWatch temperature indicators, contact us today.