Abstract :
The healthcare system has, over the years, undergone myriad changes aimed at improving its efficiency and quality levels. At the core of the changes are the concerted efforts of practitioners who work in tandem to deliver efficient services. Laboratory technicians are identified as vital cogs in the healthcare system as they work behind the scenes conducting tests that improve the validity of medical diagnoses. The important role of laboratory technicians came into the limelight during the coronavirus pandemic, which wreaked havoc worldwide. The novel nature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus necessitated prompt testing and evaluation of samples to understand its impact on the body, trajectory, and viable intervention mechanisms. This literature review aims to break down the roles of laboratory technicians during the pandemic. A total of 15 sources have been reviewed, which allude that the laboratory technicians were responsible for running tests and reviewing their quality and ingenuity. The insight derived from the tests permitted physicians and doctors to formulate clinical diagnoses that reduced the deleterious effects of the coronavirus. Consequently, the results indicate that the laboratory technicians tested biomarkers that determined the risk of contracting or transmitting the SARS-CoV-2 virus in specific populations. Identifying risk biomarkers facilitated the creation of preventive mechanisms and doling out recommendations, thus minimizing morbidity and mortality rates. Moreover, the practitioners played an advocacy role during the pandemic by calling for new technologies and testing procedures that could cope with the epidemiological response needs. The technologies created a conducive milieu for the collection, storage, and subsequent testing of samples, thus reducing the probability of errors. Conclusively, the literature review indicates that the role played by the practitioners helped identify vaccines that quelled the continuous spread of the virus.
