What if a major radiation incident happened during a pandemic? – Considerations of the impact on biodosimetry

PURPOSE Based on the experience of biodosimetry laboratories during the COVID-19 pandemic, the purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of providing biodosimetry service in the event of a major radiation incident during a pandemic. This includes describing some of the preparations and planning made by biodosimetry laboratories and special challenges in maintaining a state of readiness while adhering to safety protocols and balancing the need to assist with the COVID-19 response where possible. Experiences of several biodosimetry laboratories will be described and lessons learned will be outlined that could be applied to any large population-scale emergencies. CONCLUSIONS There are many challenges that arise when maintaining capacity and capabilities for biodosimetry when faced with a global pandemic such as COVID-19. The key is to be prepared for anything within reason. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining flexibility, shifting and reorganizing deployment of staff between pandemic response and biodosimetry needs, strengthening networks to be able to provide assistance to other laboratories, managing staff in the face of possible infections and preparing protocols for the handling of potentially infected biological samples according to regulatory requirements. By implementing these recommendations, international biodosimetry networks can be prepared to address large-scale radiological incidents within the context of a pandemic and ensure the safety of biodosimetry personnel as well as victims in such dual emergencies.