COVID-19 Sampling Guidelines

Monitoring in the Age of COVID-19

Sampling Guidelines 

  • If you or any member of your household is feeling unwell with COVID-19 symptoms, do not monitor
  • Wash your hands thoroughly before and after sampling 
  • Wear a mask when in public places or around people outside of your household
  • If your monitoring partner(s) are outside of your household: 
    • If your group size is >10 split up monitoring events so the monitoring group is less than 10, ideally less than 5 people
    • Maintain a 6 ft distance (your "wingspan" plus your partner's - no fingers touching) 
    • Divide tasks as much as possible so only one person is touching the monitoring equipment
    • Use disinfecting cloths or spray to wipe down sampling equipment between handlers 
    • If items must be exchanged, establish a station where one person at a time can leave items prior to another person picking them up (no-contact pick up)
  • Follow local public health authority recommendations

 

A volunteer taking a bacterial sample with a mask on.

Helpful links for more information 

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Georgia Department of Public Health: https://dph.georgia.gov/

CDC FAQs: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html