November 20, 2020

COVID-19 Infection Control Measures in Long-Term Care Facility, Pennsylvania, USA

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions

Keywords (Tags): non-pharm interventions

• A combination of daily symptom tracking for staff, daily testing of staff, and twice-weekly testing of residents was associated with reduced incidence of COVID-19 in long term care facilities. Implementation of a surveillance program that conducted daily symptom screening questionnaires for all persons involved in daily activities at a Pennsylvania long term care facility in combination of collection and testing of nasal swabs from residents twice per week and staff daily for 10 weeks (June 23–October 1, 2020) was associated with an incidence of COVID-19 that was 17-times lower than that of neighboring facilities without such programs.

Shimotsu et al. (Nov 20, 2020). COVID-19 Infection Control Measures in Long-Term Care Facility, Pennsylvania, USA. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2702.204265