Laboratory Animal Center, National Cheng Kung University School of COVID-19 outbreak response measures announcement
National Cheng Kung University Laboratory Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and School of Laboratory Animal Center
Response measures for severe special infectious pneumonia COVID-19 outbreak 2020/4/8
In order to consider the prevalence of COVID-19, some or all of the personnel of the center may be segregated and controlled due to cluster infection, which will affect the execution status of the animal application plan that has been approved within the center. Therefore, IACUC and the animal center have formulated this response The measures are provided to the project host, students and research assistants for reference, so as to plan and maintain the execution of each project in advance, in order to maintain the precious research resources of the researchers and reduce the unexpected losses caused by the epidemic.
The first stage: immediate implementation
Phase 1：start from now
1. Currently ongoing experiments:
(1) Re-examine the approved animal experiment plan book, review or adjust the plan implementation manpower, do a good job in diversion management, and submit the plan book change application as required.
(2) Please reduce the amount of mice and rats (Reference principle assessment reference:
1. Animals are foreign, repurchasable from outside purchase
2. Non-special genotypes
3. Animals are sick, injured, weak
4. Animals that have been idle for a long time )
It is strongly recommended to suspend breeding in breeding cages; for special strains, please consider seed preservation (contact person for embryo freezing business: Lin Mengqi, ext. 5662).
(3) Large animals (pigs and rabbits) that have entered the room can perform to the end of the experiment, and it is strongly recommended to temporarily stop the introduction.
2. It is planned to fully control the admission of animals (including large, mouse, pig, rabbit and other species).
3. Carry out plan inspection, avoid long-term experiments, and if possible, complete ongoing animal experiments or put forward record responses to reduce the loss of data, funds, and animals caused by the inability to complete the experiment.
4. Suspend the implementation of the new animal experiment plan book, suggesting that when the epidemic situation slow down and then start implementation.
5. Ensure that the quality of various animal test drugs, especially those that need to be imported, are only introduced to animals for testing.
6. Researchers are advised to reduce entry and exit, and all entry and exit must be swiped, not more than one card.
7. Animal experiments outside the animal center will return to the animal center after the day of the experiment. During the epidemic prevention, the audit will be strengthened. If there is a violation, the IACUC will suspend the implementation of the animal experiment plan and report it to the IACUC and the hospital meeting.
8. Persons who have been to the unit where the epidemic was diagnosed within two weeks are prohibited from entering the animal center or contacting the animals in the holding area.
Phase 2：when the school informs the suspension of school and work, and researchers cannot enter the animal center
1. The animal center will maintain basic manpower, and the management staff will assist in caring for the animals, and laboratory personnel are prohibited from entering and leaving the center.
2. If the animal center needs to be closed partially or completely due to the epidemic situation, the animal center veterinarian will decide whether to advance the end of the experiment, and will send an e-mail to inform the project host.
Phase 3：when the animal center has to be closed for a long time and cannot provide basic manpower to assist in caring for the animal, based on the animal protection law and animal welfare, the center's veterinarian will euthanize animals that require euthanasia.
Special reminders are here to ensure that the planners must strictly abide by the specifications stipulated in the guidelines, always control the animal health status, and keep relevant management care and test records, thank you for your cooperation and assistance. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the operation and management of the facility during the COVID-19 period, please contact the IACUC office (Mr. Cai Daqing, Email: ac5662@email.ncku.edu.tw) or the animal center (ext. 5660-5663).
Yau-Sheng Tsai, Director, Laboratory Animal Center, Medical College (ext. 4242)