A new COVID-19 testing lab in Glasgow Reuters Scientists and virologists around the world are handling large samples SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on a daily basis to study how it works and help develop a vaccine. Grace Roberts, a virology research fellow at Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland, says there are strict regulations inside COVID-19 virology labs to avoid contamination and keep researchers safe. The lab rooms are kept at negative air pressure so that air can't escape the room, all surfaces are regularly cleaned with alcohol, and any used tools like tubes or flasks are chemically disinfected before being thrown out. PPE is also crucial, Roberts says.