On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declares the pandemic of SARS-CoV2, responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-CoV2). It has been shown that the airways of patients infected with COVID-19 have a high viral load, especially in the nose, throat and trachea. Procedures involving the upper aerodigestive tract, such as the bronchoscopy, are considered to carry a high risk of infection. Recommendations from different societies establish certain guidelines for these procedures, suggesting specific safety measures and, where possible, avoiding the performance of rigid bronchospies. Our unit belongs to an interventional pulmonology service of the Public Health System. In order to be able to meet the demand for medical care, the need to perform urgent procedures and the limitation to infrastructure and resources, we began a contingency plan and testing of alternative elements intended to increase the safety of the staff and the patients. This study introduces general measures and new devices included in our work sequence with the purpose of improving biosafety for the health staff and the patient when there is still a need to follow the procedures.

El día 30 de enero de 2020 la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) reconoce la condición de pandemia por el virus SARS-CoV2 responsable de la enfermedad por coronavirus de 2019 (COVID-CoV2 por su denominación en inglés). Se ha demostrado que la vía respiratoria de pacientes infectados por COVID-19 tiene una alta carga viral, especialmente en nariz, garganta y tráquea. Los procedimientos que involucran el tracto aerodigestivo superior, como la broncoscopía, se consideran de alto riesgo de infección. Recomendaciones de diferentes sociedades establecen lineamientos para la realización de estos procedimientos, recomendando medidas de seguridad específicas evitando en lo posible la realización de broncoscopía rígida. Nuestra unidad corresponde a un servicio de neumonología intervencionista del sistema de salud público. Para hacer frente a la demanda de atención, necesidad de realizar procedimientos impostergables y una limitación en infraestructura y recursos, se inició un plan de contingencia y prueba de elementos alternativos orientados a potenciar la seguridad del personal y sus pacientes. Se presentan en este trabajo las medidas generales y nuevos dispositivos incluidos en nuestra secuencia de trabajo con el fin de mejorar la bioseguridad para el personal de salud y el paciente ante la necesidad de continuar realizando procedimientos.

ABSTRACT The facilities designed for the peaceful activities of nuclear energy are made with different materials, among them, reinforced concrete. This material, in addition to being structural, is a barrier for isolation and confinement from the environment of the radioactive materials. One of its degradation mechanisms is the corrosion of the reinforcement, a frequent cause of premature failure in service. Consequently, it is essential to study this degradation mechanism in formulations developed for this purpose, as well as the development and implementation of monitoring techniques. The objective of this work is to compare, from the corrosion of reinforcement point of view, two concrete formulations, one made with ordinary portland cement and the other with pozzolanic portland cement. Both formulations are candidate for some nuclear applications, such as the Low Radioactive Waste disposal facilities, whose durability requirement is higher than 300 years. The results of approximately four years of monitoring are presented. The parameters followed are: corrosion potential and corrosion rate of the reinforcements, electrical resistivity, oxygen flow, internal temperature and carbonation rate of concrete. These parameters were measured and monitored in reinforced concrete specimens by embedded sensors previously developed in our laboratory. Also, unreinforced specimens were prepared to measure the carbonation rate. The presence of reinforcements provides the possibility of monitoring directly on them the corrosion potential, the corrosion rate and electrical resistivity of concrete, using on-surface electrodes provided by a commercial instrument. This allows the comparison of the parameters monitored by embedded sensors and the on-surface electrodes.