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Reduction of Health Care-Associated Respiratory Viral Infections During a Pandemic: A Case Report
Lori Batchelor and Jamie Pelletier
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 em ployee 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.
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