July 21, 2020

Mitigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak in a Nursing Home Through Serial Testing of Residents and Staff

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

• Escobar et al. report on an outbreak in a Pennsylvania nursing home with 84 residents (83 male, mean age 74). The index resident tested positive after exposure to a positive employee who had not yet developed symptoms.  Interventions implemented included a dedicated isolation unit, restrictions on resident travel, universal masking of residents, addition of eye shields to PPE mandated for staff, and serial testing of residents every 3-5 days. Twenty-seven residents tested positive (26 from the index resident’s floor), representing an attack rate of 37%, and 13 residents developed symptoms.  

Escobar et al. (July 20, 2020). Mitigation of a COVID-19 Outbreak in a Nursing Home Through Serial Testing of Residents and Staff. Clinical Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1021