JP7458068B2 - Sample collection method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an inspection shield and an inspection method. Specifically, the present invention relates to a test shield and a test method that can reduce the risk of infection to medical personnel when testing infectious disease patients or pseudo-patients, and can efficiently perform infectious disease tests.

In Japan, patients with infectious diseases, including new strains of influenza and the new coronavirus, must be transported to designated medical institutions and isolated under the Infectious Disease Control Law. In addition, when the number of patients to be transported is too large to be transported to a designated medical institution, as in the case of a pandemic, temporary infectious disease response facilities that can isolate patients with infectious diseases may be constructed, or the government may lease them. Measures are being taken, such as having patients with mild symptoms temporarily wait in accommodation facilities.

As an example of a simple temporary infectious disease response facility to be constructed in the event of a pandemic, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an isolation unit that is easy to set up and dismantle. Specifically, it is made up of a frame assembled by connecting support members and beam members via joint members, and an isolation sheet attached to the frame, with an openable curtain installed at the entrance.

According to Patent Document 1, when a pandemic occurs, it can be installed quickly and at low cost in various facilities including hospitals, and can be used as hospital rooms, treatment rooms, patient waiting rooms, passageways, etc. to achieve sufficient isolation effects. is what you can get.

Furthermore, for patients whose presence or absence of an infectious disease is unknown (pseudo patients), the presence or absence of infection must be confirmed through testing. A PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test is generally used as a method of testing for the presence or absence of an infectious disease. In a PCR test, a sample is collected from the body fluids or mucous membranes of a simulated patient, and only specific genes are increased.The increased genes are stained and applied to a detection device, and the genes of the target pathogen can be visually confirmed. This is a test method that determines a positive result if possible, and a negative result if it cannot be confirmed.

By the way, in a PCR test, a medical worker in charge of the test collects a sample from the mucous membrane of the nose or throat of the test subject while facing the test subject. At this time, when a subject coughs or sneezes into the face of a medical worker directly facing them, it is necessary to ensure that the healthcare worker is protected from airborne bacteria and viruses released by the subject. For this reason, in addition to masks, medical workers are wearing protective shields that cover their entire faces, as well as protective clothing while undergoing tests.

However, with the conventional testing methods described above, there is a limit to the number of tests per medical worker, and the risk of infection for medical workers is extremely high. Furthermore, due to a significant increase in the number of test subjects, testing was delayed due to a shortage of protective clothing, leading to further concerns about the spread of community-based infections. Therefore, in recent years, a box-type testing system has been developed with the aim of reliably preventing infection of medical workers in charge of testing (Non-Patent Document 1).

In addition, as a method for conducting PCR tests more efficiently, local governments have introduced so-called drive-through PCR tests in which subjects can perform PCR tests while riding in a car (non-patent literature 2).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-95858

“Development of ``box-type testing system'' and ``mobile PCR testing laboratory'' for PCR testing,'' TSP Taiyo Co., Ltd. press release, April 23, 2020, http://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p /000000007.000056254.html "Start supplying 'drive-through PCR testing facility' using tent" TSP Taiyo Co., Ltd. press release, April 10, 2020, https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000005.000056254.html

According to the above-mentioned non-patent document 2, it is possible to significantly increase the number of people tested per medical worker, and it is also possible to set up temporary testing stations in a short time on hospital grounds or on roads. There are benefits.

However, the testing method of Non-Patent Document 2 has the following problem. That is, when a medical worker wearing protective clothing collects a sample from a subject through a car window, airborne bacteria or viruses released from the subject may adhere to the protective clothing of the medical worker. Therefore, the medical worker needs to disinfect the protective clothing or change to new protective clothing every time a new subject is tested. However, if the medical worker has to disinfect or change the protective clothing every time a test is performed, the workload of the medical worker increases and the cost of testing may become enormous.

The present invention has been devised in view of the above points, and is capable of reducing the risk of infection for medical workers when testing infectious disease patients or suspected patients, and efficiently performing infectious disease testing. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an inspection shield and an inspection method.

In order to achieve the above object, the inspection shield of the present invention partitions a space on one side and a space on the other side, and has a pair of first and second parts that can be inserted into the space so that both arms of a worker in the one side space can be inserted toward the other side space. a main body portion in which a first through hole is formed; an arm covering portion that covers the entire arm including the hand of the worker and extends from the first through hole toward the other side space; A bag-shaped article accommodating portion is formed with an opening that allows the article to be taken in and taken out, and is attached to a predetermined position of the main body portion.

Here, the examination shield has a main body that separates the space on one side from the space on the other side, so that while a worker (medical worker) in the space on one side is performing a medical procedure (e.g. a PCR test to check for the presence of an infectious disease) on a subject in the space on the other side, it is possible to prevent airborne bacteria and viruses released from the subject from flowing into the space on one side.

In addition, a pair of first through holes are formed in the main body so that the operator who is in the space on one side can insert both arms toward the space on the other side. It becomes possible to insert both arms of the worker who is in the room into the first through hole and into the other side space. Therefore, a worker in one side of the space can perform medical treatment on a subject in the other side of the space through the test shield.

In addition, by providing an arm covering part that covers the entire arm including the worker's hand and extends from the first through hole toward the other side space, it is possible to perform work inserted from one side space to the other side space. The entire arm or hand of a person can be covered with the arm covering part. Therefore, airborne bacteria and viruses released from the subject can be prevented from directly adhering to the arms and hands of the worker.

In addition, by providing a bag-shaped article accommodating section with an opening through which articles can be taken in and taken out and attached to a predetermined position of the main body, used medical instruments ( For example, sampling rods and sample collection containers used in PCR tests (collectively referred to as "test kits") can be stored in the article storage section. Furthermore, by injecting a disinfectant or the like into the article storage section in advance, the stored medical instruments can be disinfected, thereby making it possible to prevent bacteria and viruses attached to the medical instruments from spreading.

Further, a second through hole communicating between the one side space and the other side space is formed in the main body, and the article storage section extends toward the one side space using the second through hole as an opening. In this case, the article accommodating portion and the main body portion can be integrated, so that manufacturing costs can be reduced.

In order to achieve the above object, the inspection method of the present invention involves installing an inspection shield along the window frame on the outside of the vehicle, with the window on the passenger seat side of the subject riding in the car being closed. Step: With the window open, a worker on the outside of the vehicle inserts both arms toward the inside of the vehicle through a pair of first through holes formed in the main body of the inspection shield. A step of wearing an arm covering part connected to the first through hole, a step of a worker wearing the arm covering part collecting a sample from a subject using a test kit, and a step of wearing a second arm covering part connected to the first through hole, A step of inserting the test kit containing a sample into a bag-shaped article storage section connected to the main body with the through hole as an opening, and a step of inserting the test kit containing the test kit into the test shield. and a step of removing the inspection shield from the window frame with the window closed.

Here, by including a step of installing an inspection shield along the window frame on the outside of the vehicle with the window on the passenger seat side of the test subject riding in the car closed, An inspection shield can be installed along the At this time, since the window on the passenger seat side of the subject is closed, it is possible to reduce the risk of infection of the worker due to airborne bacteria and viruses floating inside the car being released outside the car.

In addition, by including a step of inserting both arms of a worker outside the vehicle through a pair of first through-holes formed in the main body of the examination shield toward the inside of the vehicle with the window open and donning the arm covering portion connected to the first through-holes, the worker outside the vehicle can don the arm covering portion by inserting both arms through the first through-holes toward the inside of the vehicle. Therefore, the worker outside the vehicle can perform medical treatment on the subject inside the vehicle through the examination shield, which prevents airborne bacteria and viruses released from the subject from directly attaching to the worker during treatment.

Additionally, by providing a step in which a worker wearing an arm covering collects a test subject's sample using a test kit, the test kit can be used to collect samples for infectious disease testing from the mucus in the subject's nose and throat. be able to.

In addition, by providing a process for placing the test kit containing the sample in a bag-shaped item storage section connected to the main body section using the second through-hole formed in the main body section as an opening, the worker can place the test kit containing the sample collected from the subject into the opening and store it in the item storage section while still wearing the test shield.

In addition, by including a step of separating the article storage section containing the test kit from the test shield, the test kit separated from the test shield can be brought to a testing institution etc. while it is housed in the article storage section. . Therefore, during the process of bringing the test kit to a testing institution or the like, the test kit can be transported safely without spreading bacteria or viruses attached to the test kit.

Furthermore, by including the step of removing the test shield from the window frame with the window closed, the test shield can be recovered after the medical treatment for the subject is completed. At this time, since the window on the passenger side of the test subject is closed, airborne bacteria and viruses inside the car can be prevented from leaking out of the car in the process of removing the test shield.

In addition, if there is a step of injecting a disinfectant into the article housing section before the step of separating the article housing section containing the test kit from the test shield, the article housing section into which the disinfectant has been injected will be inspected. Kits can be added. Therefore, it is possible to disinfect a test kit to which airborne bacteria or viruses released from a subject are attached, and therefore the test kit can be safely transported to a testing institution.

In addition, the step of separating the article storage section in which the test kit is stored from the test shield may include the step of crimping the article storage section at a predetermined position to seal the article storage section with the test kit stored therein. In this case, the test kit can be sealed within the article container. Therefore, the bacteria and viruses attached to the test kit will not leak out, so the test kit can be safely transported to the testing institution.

In addition, if there is a step of separating the article storage section from the inspection shield starting from a predetermined position of the crimping point, even if the article storage section is separated from the inspection shield, the cut surface of the main body of the inspection shield will be It will be in a crimped state. As a result, the outside of the vehicle and the inside of the vehicle are separated by the inspection shield, making it possible to block airborne bacteria and viruses released from the test subject from flowing into the outside of the vehicle.

In addition, if the process includes a step of attaching the test kit to a predetermined position on the side of the main body facing the interior of the vehicle before the step of installing the test shield along the window frame on the outside of the vehicle while the window on the passenger side of the vehicle is closed, the risk of infection can be reduced during the testing process and the test kit can be prepared efficiently.

The test shield and test method according to the present invention reduce the risk of infection for medical workers when testing infectious disease patients or pseudo-patients, and can efficiently perform infectious disease tests. .

1 is an overall schematic diagram of an inspection shield according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view of the back side and (b) is a perspective view of the front side. It is a figure showing the use state of the inspection shield concerning an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a procedure for performing an infectious disease test using a test shield according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings to provide an understanding of the present invention. In the following explanation, the upward direction is referred to as the upward direction when the test shield is installed on the target vehicle, and the medical worker (worker) and the subject are facing each other through the test shield. , the opposite direction of the upward direction is defined as the downward direction, the axial direction represented by the upward and downward directions is defined as the vertical direction, and the axial direction perpendicular to the vertical direction is defined as the horizontal direction. Furthermore, when the inspection shield is installed on the window frame of a car, the surface of the inspection shield on the inside of the vehicle is defined as the front surface, and the surface on the outside of the vehicle is defined as the back surface.

First, the configuration of an inspection shield 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIG. 1. The inspection shield 1 is made of a lightweight and highly water-resistant material such as polyethylene or polypropylene that allows the space on one side to be seen through the other side. It consists of 40.

The examination shield 1 does not necessarily have to be made of a material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. However, since the examination shield 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is used as a disposable item mainly for drive-through infectious disease testing outdoors, it is preferable that it be made of a material such as polyethylene or polypropylene, which has low manufacturing costs and excellent water resistance.

The main body portion 10 has a substantially rectangular shape, and a pair of circular first through holes 50 are formed in the substantially central portion in the horizontal direction. The first through hole 50 allows a worker in one side space (outside the vehicle) to insert his or her arm toward the other side space (inside the vehicle) partitioned by the main body 10. It is approximately the same size as the circumference of an adult's arm.

Here, the shape of the main body portion 10 does not necessarily have to be rectangular. The inspection shield 1 can be changed as appropriate depending on the size and shape of the object to be installed. For example, when assuming a car as the object to be installed with the inspection shield 1, the shape and size should be such that it can cover one side of each window on the driver's side, passenger's side, and rear seat side of a typical car. It can be done.

Furthermore, the first through hole 50 does not necessarily have to be circular. It may be of any shape as long as it allows a worker outside the vehicle to insert both arms toward the interior space of the vehicle. However, the circular shape prevents the arm from getting caught on the inner periphery of the first through hole 50 when the arm is inserted, making it possible to insert the arm more smoothly.

The arm covering portion 20 is for covering the entire hand and arm exposed to the interior space of the vehicle when a worker outside the vehicle inserts both arms through the first through hole 50. It has a substantially cylindrical shape extending from 50 toward the interior space of the vehicle, and its tip portion is formed into a mitten shape that can accommodate the thumb and other fingertips.

The base end of the arm covering part 20 is integrated with the main body part 10 at the outer periphery of the first through hole 50, and the operator inserts his arm into the first through hole 50 from outside the vehicle until it reaches the tip. By doing so, the arm covering portion 20 can be worn. The length and size of the arm covering part 20 are sized to match the physique of a typical adult, but the size can be changed as appropriate depending on the worker using it. .

Here, the arm covering portion 20 does not necessarily have to have the shape shown in FIG. 1. For example, the tip portion may be shaped like a glove to fit the shape of the worker's fingertips, or may be shaped like a cylinder with a bottom.

An article storage section 40 is provided below the arm covering section 20 for storing a test kit to which a sample collected when testing a subject for the presence of an infectious disease is attached. The article storage section 40 has a second through hole 60 formed below the first through hole 50 as an opening, and is formed in a bag shape extending from the second through hole 60 toward the outside of the vehicle. There is.

Here, the item storage section 40 does not necessarily have to be an integral structure with the main body section 10 with the second through hole 60 as an opening. For example, a bag-shaped item storage section 40 with an opening formed at a position on the surface of the main body section 10 may be provided so as to be detachable from the main body section 10.

A test kit 70 used for testing for the presence or absence of an infectious disease is detachably attached to a predetermined position on the surface of the main body 10 (above the arm covering part 20 in FIG. 1, but not limited to this position). The test kit 70 is composed of a sampling rod 71 for sampling the mucous membranes of the subject's nose or throat, and a sample sampling container 72 containing a reagent for storing the sample collected, which are packaged together. This test kit 70 is attached to the main body 10 of the test shield 1 by adhesive means such as double-sided tape immediately before the test shield 1 is placed on the window frame of the car in which the subject will be riding.

Here, the test kit 70 does not necessarily have to be attached to the main body 10. For example, the test kit 70 may be distributed to the test subject in advance at the entrance of the test site, and the test kit may be handed over from the test subject to the worker at the start of the test. However, by attaching the test kit 70 to the main body 10 in advance, infectious disease testing can be carried out efficiently, and contact between the worker and the subject can be avoided, reducing the risk of infection for the worker. can.

That is, when distributing the test kit 70 to subjects at the entrance of the testing site, personnel are required for distribution, and the risk of infection may increase due to close contact between the person in charge of distribution and the subjects during distribution. There is. On the other hand, if the test kit 70 is attached to the test shield 1, the worker can take out the test kit 70 with the test shield 1 attached, which makes the work more efficient and allows the worker to take out the test kit 70 with the test shield 1 attached. Close contact with test subjects can be avoided during preparation.

The above is the main configuration of the inspection shield 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Next, an infectious disease testing method using the testing shield 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 2 and 3. The test shield 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is mainly used in a drive-through test in which a subject can take the test while remaining in a car, but it is particularly limited to this embodiment. It is not something that will be done.

<Step 1: Guidance of the car in which the subject rides>
The automobile in which the subject M2 arrives at the inspection site is guided to a predetermined inspection position and stopped. At this time, in order to prevent airborne bacteria and viruses that are prevalent inside the car in which test subject M2 is riding from being released outside the car, at least the window on the passenger seat side in which test subject M2 is riding should be closed. Preferably, all windows of the car are closed.

<Process 2: Installation of inspection shield>
The test shield 1 to be used is installed on the window frame so that the entire window on the side of the passenger seat where the subject M2 rides is covered. When installing the inspection shield 1 on the window frame, adhesive means such as double-sided tape or masking tape can be used.

<Step 3: Opening the window>
When the installation of the test shield 1 is completed, the operator M1 instructs the subject M2 to open the window. Subject M2 follows the instructions and opens the window on the passenger seat side. At this time, airborne bacteria and viruses inside the car are blocked by the installed inspection shield 1, and can be prevented from being released outside the car.

<Step 4: Attaching the inspection shield>
When the opening of the window is completed, the worker M1 inserts his arm into the first through hole 50 of the inspection shield 1 and wears the arm covering part 20 on both arms. This completes the installation of the test shield 1.

<Step 5: Preparation of test kit>
The worker M1, who has put his arm through the arm covering part 20 and is wearing the test shield 1, removes the test kit 70 attached to the surface of the test shield 1 and prepares the collection rod 71 contained therein.

<Step 6: Collecting specimen>
An operator M1 operates a sampling rod 71 to sample a specimen adhering to the nose or throat of a subject M2 (FIG. 2). The sample is placed in a specimen sampling container 72, which is then sealed with a cap.

<Step 7: Inserting the test kit into the goods storage section>
When the operator completes specimen collection, the test kit 70 (specimen collection container) containing the specimen is placed into the article storage section 40 through the opening (second through hole 60) (FIG. 3(a)).

<Step 8: Crimping of article storage section>
After the test kit 70 is stored in the article accommodating section 40, a predetermined position of the article accommodating section 40 is crimped using, for example, a handy thermocompression bonding machine (FIG. 3(b)). By crimping, the article storage section 40 is sealed, so that bacteria and viruses attached to the test kit 70 can be prevented from being released to the outside.

<Step 9: Separating the article storage section>
The article storage section 40 is separated from the main body section 10 starting from the crimped portion (FIG. 3(c)). The article storage section 40 that has been separated and has the test kit 70 housed therein is collected in a sealed state and then brought to a testing facility where it is subjected to a genetic test such as a PCR test.

Furthermore, by separating the article storage section 40 from the crimped portion, the cut surface of the main body 10 is also crimped. Therefore, since the outside of the vehicle and the inside of the vehicle are maintained separated by the inspection shield 1, it is possible to block airborne bacteria and viruses released from the subject from flowing into the outside of the vehicle.

<Step 10: Closing the window>
When the test is completed and the collection of the test kit 70 is completed, the operator M1 instructs the subject M2 to close the window.

<Step 11: Removal of inspection shield>
After confirming that the window is closed, the operator M1 removes and collects the inspection shield 1. Since the recovered test shield 1 is likely to have bacteria or viruses attached to its surface, it is folded with the surface facing inward and disposed of according to a prescribed disposal method.

When the series of testing steps described above is completed, the next test subject is accepted, and the test returns to step 1 to begin testing. Note that, for example, before the installation of the test shield 1 in the automobile in step 2, there may be a step of attaching the test kit 70 used for infectious disease testing to a predetermined position on the surface of the test shield 1. . Thereby, as described above, the test kit 70 can be easily taken out during the test process, so that the test can be performed efficiently.

Further, a disinfectant solution may be injected into the article accommodating section 40 before and after the test kit 70 is put into the article accommodating section 40 in step 7. Thereby, airborne bacteria and airborne viruses adhering to the outside of the test kit 70 can be disinfected during the testing process. Therefore, even if part of the article storage section 40 breaks during the process of transporting the article storage section 40 containing the test kit 70 to a testing institution, bacteria and viruses attached to the test kit 70 will not spread. It can be prevented.

As described above, the examination shield and examination method according to the present invention can reduce the risk of infection for medical staff when conducting infectious disease tests on infectious disease patients or suspected patients, and can perform infectious disease tests efficiently.

1 Test shield 10 Main body 20 Arm covering part 40 Article storage part 50 First through hole 60 Second through hole 70 Test kit 71 Collection rod 72 Specimen collection container M1 Worker M2 Subject

Claims (4)

a step of installing an inspection shield along the window frame on the outside of the vehicle with the window on the passenger seat side of the test subject riding in the car closed;
With the window open, a worker on the outside of the vehicle inserts both arms toward the inside of the vehicle through a pair of first through-holes formed in the main body of the inspection shield. a step of attaching an arm covering connected to the through hole;
a step in which a worker wearing the arm covering part collects a specimen from a subject using a test kit;
Inserting the test kit containing the specimen into a bag-shaped article storage unit connected to the main body using a second through hole formed in the main body as an opening;
separating the article housing section in which the test kit is housed from the test shield;
A method for collecting a specimen, comprising the step of removing the test shield from the window frame with the window closed. Prior to the step of separating the item storage section in which the test kit is stored from the test shield,
The specimen collection method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of injecting a disinfectant into the article storage section. The step of separating the article housing section in which the test kit is housed from the test shield,
crimping a predetermined position of the article accommodating section to seal the article accommodating section in a state in which the test kit is housed;
3. The method for collecting a specimen according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of separating the article accommodating section from the test shield starting from a predetermined position of a crimping point. Before the step of placing an inspection shield along the window frame on the outside of the vehicle window while closing the window on the passenger side of the vehicle,
The method for collecting a specimen according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , further comprising the step of attaching the test kit to a predetermined position on a side of the main body facing the interior of the vehicle.

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