International Workshop BIOHAZARD TEAM 2025 Brought Key Insights for Advancing High-Consequence Infectious Disease Response
The international workshop BIOHAZARD TEAM 2025 took place on 2 December 2025 at the EGO Zlín Academy. Experts from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Austria shared their experience in managing high-consequence infectious diseases and provided valuable feedback for further development of equipment and procedures used by biohazard response teams.
Participants particularly appreciated the presentations of individual Emergency Medical Services, which offered practical insights based on real-world interventions. Across all contributions, three recurring themes emerged: the need for fast and clear communication, clearly defined roles of response coordinators, and regular joint training of all involved teams. Experts from the participating countries agreed that these factors critically influence the safety, coordination, and overall effectiveness of responses to high-consequence infectious diseases.
A major point of interest was the practical demonstration carried out by the Emergency Medical Service of the Zlín Region. The team presented a specialized ambulance designed for transporting patients suspected of HCID, along with complete equipment for operating in high biological risk environments. Participants had the opportunity to observe real procedures used by paramedics when handling patients, applying personal protective equipment, and working with transport systems under biohazard conditions.
The programme also included a professional workshop focused on key characteristics of TIPO (Transport Isolation Device for Persons). Paramedics emphasized in particular the safety of both patients and responders, the simplicity and speed of operation, the commercial availability of spare parts and filters, and the overall reliability and ergonomics of the device. The feedback gathered represents an important basis for further development of isolation transport systems by EGO Zlín, which has committed to incorporating the insights into future generations of its biovacs.
An important part of the programme was also the presentation on Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 on serious cross-border threats to health. This legislative framework highlights the need for coordinated action among EU Member States and systematic information sharing in situations involving high-consequence infectious diseases. In line with this presentation, workshop coordinators, in cooperation with the Czech Ministry of Health and AVDZP, will forward the acquired insights and recommendations to the relevant expert committees at the EU level.
Conclusion:
The BIOHAZARD TEAM 2025 workshop demonstrated that international exchange of experience, practical demonstrations, and open communication between paramedics and technical teams are essential for maintaining a high level of preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases. Participants agreed that such meetings are highly valuable and should continue in the coming years.
