Reduction of Health Care-Associated Respiratory Viral Infections During a Pandemic: A Case Report

During the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, the investigators shared the experience of a pediatric acute care specialty hospital in North Texas that demonstrated a reduction in health care-associated respiratory viral infections (HA-RVIs). This children's hospital implemented employee masking, visitor restrictions, daily employee screening, and many other strategies to protect patients and staff from potential exposure to the novel coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease. The hospital reduced the HA-RVI rate from 5.01/1000 patient days in 2019 to 2.26/1000 patient days in 2020. Despite the lower patient volume experienced in 2020 due to COVID-19, patients were 45% less likely to have HA-RVI compared to 2019. This finding may be associated with measures put in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and community masking and social distancing mandates. Key Words: COVID-19, novel coronavirus, hospital acquired respiratory infection.
Pediatric hospitals implemented measures to protect patients and staff during the rapidly changing environment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic. Early in the [...]