No monkey business here!
Dear Professor,
I am pleased to inform you about the meticulous standard at which my company performs when dealing with the Ebola virus. As the CEO of my company, I take the safety of my employees and the containment of this virus extremely seriously. Before I send you samples of my flask to study in your own lab, I am obliged to outline my standard safety precautions when dealing with the infected monkeys as well as the potential standard protocol in the event of an outbreak inside of my facility.
Because we work in the face of a deadly hot agent, my team and I are very particular about protocol while dealing with Ebola in the labs. First of all, it is ensured that all monkeys that we receive are quarantined for at least 18 days to prevent the spread of an infection among the animals. We also cage every monkey separate from all the others to further prevent the spread of the agent through bodily fluids. These two steps will ensure that the virus will not be spread unknowingly between the received monkeys. Furthermore, my team will work to ensure their safety around the Ebola strain by dressing and acting accordingly. The standard dress policy when working with the infected monkeys or a sample of the virus is only undergarments, sterilized scrubs gloves, and face masks over this, and a heavy ventilated spacesuit (for level 4 agents). These multiple layers protect workers against a breach in one layer of clothing. In addition, used clothing will be treated as if it contains the virus. Scientists coming in and coming out of the virulent lab area will be excessively sprayed with a chemical concoction. After one use, we never reuse suits, masks, gloves, or scrubs of any kind because hot agents are known for their ability to continue to linger on inanimate surfaces. This policy applies to any equipment dealing with body fluids, such as needles, scalpels, and flasks. We also refrain from using sharp objects to study the monkeys, for this poses a threat to the safety of workers (can cause holes on suits). As a final measure of prevention, the level 4 agent rooms are fitted with a special ventilation system to keep virus particles contained in the room.
My company is very careful and always follows the policies/protocols, so we have never experienced an outbreak of the Ebola virus in or outside of our facility. Despite this, we are very informed and extremely prepared to handle an outbreak if that were to be the case. For example, our biggest policy for this situation is immediately organizing a humane euthanasia of all the monkeys stored in our facilities. This would be carried out by professionals brought in to do this task safely, wearing similar spacesuits to avoid getting infected. The animal cadavers would be too dangerous to keep in the building and would be immediately cremated. Then, if applicable, the infected human would be quarantined in the Ebola virus sector of the building. These first two, crucial steps would ensure that the escaped virus would remain in our building and not be able to diffuse to the rest of the population. To further help this cause, ventilation in the quarantine room(s) would have their ventilation shut off to prevent movement of the virus to other locations in the building. All of the steps taken until now would be to ensure that the Ebola virus has remained inside out company building. All of those working in the building at the time of the outbreak would be quarantined in other rooms of the building, in the unlikely event of the virus escaping the infected human. Just in case of diffusion outside of the building into public areas, a representative, such as I, would come forward about the event of the outbreak, claim that the responsibility was of our company, and urge all those who had visited this facility to be quarantined, as well. This way, the outbreak would be safely eradicated, and the public could rest assured, all thanks to our extensive protocols.
As you can see, my company is extremely versed in safety measures and general standards to prevent an outbreak of the Ebola virus being studied in the facilities that I own. Though we are very well practiced and an outbreak has never occurred here, we are adequately equipped and careful enough to handle the breach. Also, in this event, I would be ready to wholly accept the responsibility of the mistake of my company. With this information, I hope you have learned of the credibility and respectability of my company. Thank you for your time.
Niyati Prabhu
CEO
I am pleased to inform you about the meticulous standard at which my company performs when dealing with the Ebola virus. As the CEO of my company, I take the safety of my employees and the containment of this virus extremely seriously. Before I send you samples of my flask to study in your own lab, I am obliged to outline my standard safety precautions when dealing with the infected monkeys as well as the potential standard protocol in the event of an outbreak inside of my facility.
Because we work in the face of a deadly hot agent, my team and I are very particular about protocol while dealing with Ebola in the labs. First of all, it is ensured that all monkeys that we receive are quarantined for at least 18 days to prevent the spread of an infection among the animals. We also cage every monkey separate from all the others to further prevent the spread of the agent through bodily fluids. These two steps will ensure that the virus will not be spread unknowingly between the received monkeys. Furthermore, my team will work to ensure their safety around the Ebola strain by dressing and acting accordingly. The standard dress policy when working with the infected monkeys or a sample of the virus is only undergarments, sterilized scrubs gloves, and face masks over this, and a heavy ventilated spacesuit (for level 4 agents). These multiple layers protect workers against a breach in one layer of clothing. In addition, used clothing will be treated as if it contains the virus. Scientists coming in and coming out of the virulent lab area will be excessively sprayed with a chemical concoction. After one use, we never reuse suits, masks, gloves, or scrubs of any kind because hot agents are known for their ability to continue to linger on inanimate surfaces. This policy applies to any equipment dealing with body fluids, such as needles, scalpels, and flasks. We also refrain from using sharp objects to study the monkeys, for this poses a threat to the safety of workers (can cause holes on suits). As a final measure of prevention, the level 4 agent rooms are fitted with a special ventilation system to keep virus particles contained in the room.
My company is very careful and always follows the policies/protocols, so we have never experienced an outbreak of the Ebola virus in or outside of our facility. Despite this, we are very informed and extremely prepared to handle an outbreak if that were to be the case. For example, our biggest policy for this situation is immediately organizing a humane euthanasia of all the monkeys stored in our facilities. This would be carried out by professionals brought in to do this task safely, wearing similar spacesuits to avoid getting infected. The animal cadavers would be too dangerous to keep in the building and would be immediately cremated. Then, if applicable, the infected human would be quarantined in the Ebola virus sector of the building. These first two, crucial steps would ensure that the escaped virus would remain in our building and not be able to diffuse to the rest of the population. To further help this cause, ventilation in the quarantine room(s) would have their ventilation shut off to prevent movement of the virus to other locations in the building. All of the steps taken until now would be to ensure that the Ebola virus has remained inside out company building. All of those working in the building at the time of the outbreak would be quarantined in other rooms of the building, in the unlikely event of the virus escaping the infected human. Just in case of diffusion outside of the building into public areas, a representative, such as I, would come forward about the event of the outbreak, claim that the responsibility was of our company, and urge all those who had visited this facility to be quarantined, as well. This way, the outbreak would be safely eradicated, and the public could rest assured, all thanks to our extensive protocols.
As you can see, my company is extremely versed in safety measures and general standards to prevent an outbreak of the Ebola virus being studied in the facilities that I own. Though we are very well practiced and an outbreak has never occurred here, we are adequately equipped and careful enough to handle the breach. Also, in this event, I would be ready to wholly accept the responsibility of the mistake of my company. With this information, I hope you have learned of the credibility and respectability of my company. Thank you for your time.
Niyati Prabhu
CEO
THE FOUR BIOSAFETY LEVLELS
BIOSAFETY LEVEL 1: involves working with low-risk microorganisms that pose no threat to a healthy individual.
- Lab Equipment: general eye protection, rubber gloves, and a lab coat
- Safety Precautions: safe handling of sharp tools, cleanup of spills, disinfection after use, separate sink for hand washing, refraining from eating or drinking around the agent (general lab practices).
- Microorganisms found: Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Neisseria subflava, Bacillus cereus
BIOSAFTY LEVEL 2: working with pathogens and infectious organisms that cause disease in humans with some health hazards.
- Lab Equipment: lab coats, rubber gloves, general eye protection, and face shields/masks
- Safety Precautions: Biological safety cabinet for agents that cause infections from a spill, hands-free and lockable doors, proper method of decontamination and disposal of agent, separate sinks for hand washing and eye washing, in addition to general lab procedures.
- Microogranisms found: HIV, Hepatitis A and B, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris
BIOSAFETY LEVEL 3: work with organisms that are exotic and can be potentially lethal in humans if inhaled.
- Lab Equipment: sturdier gloves, eye protection, wrap-around gowns or coats, coveralls/scrub suits, and respirators.
- Safety Precautions: general lab practices, no sharp objects, speacially sealed container (leak-proof), job only offered to someone with a BSC (Bachelor's of science degree), hands-free sink for hand washing and eye washing that is close to an exit, ventilation system that doesn't recirculate air, self-closing and lockable doors, entrance to area away from general public spaces, medical surveillance of the room.
- Micorganisms found: yellow fever virus, West Nile virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Rift Valley fever virus
BIOSAFETY LEVEL 4: work with highly dangerous, infective, and exotic organisms that are usually very lethal and without treatment.
- Lab equipment: heavy gloves, eye protection, coveralls, wrap-around gowns or coats, scrubsuits, respirators, face masks or shields, and a spacesuit (full-body positive pressure suit with air supply).
- Safety Precautions: general lab practices, no sharp objects, special leak-proof, sealed container, job only offered to knowledgeable people with BSC or above, hands-free sink for hand and eye washing, chemical shower, hands-free and lockable doors, change clothes upon entering, chemical decontamination shower upon exiting, ventilation system without circulation, air-locked, medical surveillance, lab in isolated and restricted location in building.
- Microorganisms: Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Lassa virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.