College of Pathologists strongly recommends to conserve lab swabs for urgent COVID-19 tests

Due to a limited supply, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) is calling for all clinicians, GPs and healthcare providers to conserve the utilisation of all lab swabs, by limiting any unnecessary or non-urgent testing, such as for chronic leg ulcers.

Dr Michael Dray, President of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia said, “It is essential that the use of all swabs is conserved to critical testing only. Currently, swabs should only be utilised for the testing of COVID-19 where they meet testing criteria, and for other urgent conditions.

“It is important to acknowledge that laboratories are working at high capacity during this period of increased demand, therefore, we seek the assistance of our healthcare colleagues to ensure that all tests are prioritised as much as possible.

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“Pathologists and Scientists are playing a critical role during this pandemic, as they work around the clock to deliver high-quality testing within short timeframes, whilst testing for and diagnosing COVID-19. The RCPA continues to be dedicated to ensuring that patients receive only the highest levels of care and receive the highest standards of quality testing, in order to ensure optimal patient outcomes.”

The RCPA is the leading organisation representing pathologists in Australasia and will continue to support pathologists and improve the use of pathology testing to achieve better healthcare in the community.