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COLA is engaged with the CDC’s Laboratory Outreach Communication System (LOCS) in the Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) to transmit their public health messages to our laboratories and affiliates. Below is a link to the most recent messages about an FDA and CMS update on pooling for diagnostic and surveillance testing for SARS-CoV-2, an issued DOT safety notice for transportation of COVID-19 diagnostic samples, and Burkholderia pseudomallei in the southwestern United States.
FDA and CMS Update on Pooling for Diagnostic and Surveillance Testing for SARS-CoV-2
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have each recently posted information on their frequently asked questions pages about pooling procedures, particularly as they apply to COVID-19 surveillance testing.
DOT Issues Safety Notice for Transportation of COVID-19 Diagnostic Samples
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) recently issued a Safety Advisory Notice for the Transportation of COVID-19 Diagnostic Samples. This notice was published in response to inspections that revealed COVID-19 diagnostic test samples that were improperly marked or packaged for shipping.
Burkholderia pseudomallei in Southwestern United States
A recently published case of melioidosis in a Texas resident has increased concerns that Burkholderia pseudomallei, the bacteria that causes this rare disease, may be present in soil and water in some southwestern areas of the United States.
