An important trio: organization, personnel and technology

Biosafety is the buzzword of the moment. There are three areas of expertise that overlap: organization, personnel and technology. The first two skills are ensured by the personal commitment of the people involved, while technology is used to ensure consistency. Christian Lorenz is convinced: "In the event of a disaster, quarantine stations can be set up in Austria just as quickly as in China. The quality, the knowledge and the will are there."

It makes sense to separate the infected patients from normal hospital operations. A slight negative pressure in the special wards could prevent the viruses from escaping. The exhaust air is filtered using appropriate technology.

Protection starts with planning

The special feature is to plan the hazardous area - the so-called containment - in such a way that the people working in it are protected and dangerous viruses are prevented from escaping. This also includes the possibility of decontamination and the maintainability of the main system components. How ventilation systems are to be designed, what happens to the waste water, how cleaning and, in an emergency, decontamination are to be carried out must be taken into account at the planning stage.

Everything safe in the laboratory area

In the laboratory sector, good experience can be drawn on in terms of biosafety. Here, the hazardousness of the bioactive substances being researched can be planned and implemented. The challenges in day-to-day clinical practice are much greater: "In hospitals, you first have to identify the danger in order to be able to react," says Christian Lorenz. Appropriate organizations, training and technical solutions are required.