TECNALIA, CIC biomagune and Ceit working with basque healthcare system to manage coronavirus testing

Joining forces to leverage Gipuzkoa's research infrastructure, Tecnalia, CIC biomaGUNE and CEIT have established a cooperation mechanism with Osakidetza, the Basque public healthcare system, making their laboratories available in the fight against COVID-19.

In response to an appeal from the health authorities, viral transport systems have been set up to assist the sampling process by clinicians. Using a cocktail of antibiotics, the media are prepared in the laboratory and are used to transfer the samples collected from the patient to the laboratories for testing.

2,000 - 3,000 units produced daily 

Transport systems are assembled in biosafety cabinets, ensuring that all tubes are totally sterile and do not interfere with the samples collected from patients. 

Within these cabinets, the cocktail of gentamicin, vancomycin and amphotericin B is made up and loaded into the tubes, which are then carefully sealed and made ready for supply.

This allows Osakidetza to considerably increase its analytical capacity, meeting demand for testing in the current stage of the epidemic.

ETB2 report