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Evaluation of healthcare personnel exposures to patients with severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated with personal protective equipment

Part of: SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2021

Vishal P. Shah Open the ORCID record for Vishal P. Shah [Opens in a new window] ,
Laura E. Breeher ,
Caitlin M. Hainy  and
Melanie D. Swift
Vishal P. Shah*
Affiliation:
Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Laura E. Breeher
Affiliation:
Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Occupational Health Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Caitlin M. Hainy
Affiliation:
Occupational Health Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Melanie D. Swift
Affiliation:
Division of Preventive, Occupational and Aerospace Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Occupational Health Services, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
*
Author for correspondence: Vishal Shah, E-mail: Shah.vishal1@mayo.edu
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Abstract

Objective:

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is a critical aspect of preventing the transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in healthcare settings. We aimed to identify factors related to lapses in PPE use that may influence transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from patients to healthcare personnel (HCP).

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Tertiary-care medical center in Minnesota.

Participants:

In total, 345 HCP who sustained a significant occupational exposure to a patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from May 13, 2020, through November 30, 2020, were evaluated.

Results:

Overall, 8 HCP (2.3%) were found to have SARS-CoV-2 infection during their 14-day postexposure quarantine. A lack of eye protection during the care of a patient with COVID-19 was associated with HCP testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) during the postexposure quarantine (relative risk [RR], 10.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28–82.39; P = .009). Overall, the most common reason for a significant exposure was the use of a surgical face mask instead of a respirator during an aerosol-generating procedure (55.9%). However, this was not associated with HCP testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the postexposure quarantine (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.96–1; P = 1). Notably, transmission primarily occurred in units that did not regularly care for patients with COVID-19.

Conclusions:

The use of universal eye protection is a critical aspect of PPE to prevent patient-to-HCP transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 43 , Issue 6 , June 2022 , pp. 770 - 774
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

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