COM-PAC ANNOUNCES NEW SHIPPING CONTAINERS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR CORONA VIRUS

February 14, 2020 – COM-PAC ANNOUNCES NEW SHIPPING CONTAINERS SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED FOR CORONA VIRUS

Com-Pac International has manufactured Laboratory specimen handling, storage and shipping products for over 30 years. Due to the recent Coronavirus outbreaks in Wuhan, China, Com-Pac has added two new specimen handling products designed specifically around the recently provided guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relating to packaging and shipping this virus. We have attached several documents from the CDC which provide this guidance with the appropriate sections highlighted.

Per the CDC guidance:

Coronavirus, or suspected Coronavirus specimens, must be shipped as “Biological Substance, Category B,” and is assigned UN 3373. Shipment of Category B substances must be packaged in
accordance with Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials Regulations 49 CFR, Parts171-180.

Collection of three specimen types, lower respiratory, upper respiratory and serum specimens for testing is recommended.

For lower respiratory tract collect 2 – 3 ml into a sterile, leakproof, screw-cap sputum collection cup or sterile dry container. Refrigerate specimen at 2 – 8 degrees C and ship overnight to the CDC on ice pack.

For upper respiratory tract place swabs immediately into sterile tubes containing 2 – 3 ml of viral transport media. Refrigerate specimen at 2 – 3 degrees C and ship overnight to the CDC on ice pack.

For serum specimens collect 1 tube (5 – 10 mil) of whole blood in a serum separator tube. Store and centrifuge per before removing serum per CDC instructions. Refrigerate serum specimen at 2 – 8 degrees C and ship overnight to the CDC on ice pack.

As specified above, the packaging requirements for shipment of Category B substances is regulated by the D.O.T. in the U.S. and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) internationally. You and your employer can be subject to fines and penalties if the packaging regulations are not followed.

All of Com-Pac’s shippers designated for use with Category B specimens have been tested and certified to comply with the UN 6.2 Dangerous Goods Regulations, 49 CFR D.O.T. regulations for air
and ground shipments and IATA Packaging Instructions 650 for international shipment. Each of our shippers comes complete with all required absorbents, labels and labeling instructions, and shipping declarations.

It should be noted that if you are shipping Coronavirus specimens on dry ice, in addition to the labels required for the package containing the specimen, you must affix the dry ice label to the outside of the cooler.

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