Rapid Control of Hospital-Based Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Omicron Clusters Through Daily Testing and Universal Use of N95 Respirators. (7th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Baker, Meghan A; Rhee, Chanu; Tucker, Robert; Badwaik, Amy; Coughlin, Cassie; Holtzman, Meghan A; Hsieh, Candace; Maguire, Angela; Mermel Blaeser, Elizabeth; Seetharaman, Saranya; Solem, Ofelia; Vaidya, Vineeta; Klompas, Michael
• Is Part Of: Clinical infectious diseases. Volume 75:Number 1(2022)
• Page Start: e296
• Page End: e299
• Publication Date: 2022-02-07
• Subjects: SARS-CoV-2 -- nosocomial infection -- Omicron variant; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; 616.905
• DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac113
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1058-4838

Abstract

Abstract: The highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Omicron variant increases risk for nosocomial transmission despite universal masking, admission testing, and symptom screening. We report large increases in hospital-onset infections and 2 unit-based clusters. The clusters rapidly abated after instituting universal N95 respirators and daily testing. Broader use of these strategies may prevent nosocomial transmissions.