September 9, 2020

Decreasing High Risk Exposures for Healthcare-Workers through Universal Masking and Universal SARS-CoV-2 Testing upon Entry to a Tertiary Care Facility

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions

Keywords (Tags): health care setting

• Implementation of universal masking and universal SARS-CoV-2 testing at admission at an academic referral medical center in the Southeastern US dramatically decreased high risk exposures to SARS-CoV-2 (e.g. exposures without appropriate personal protective equipment) for healthcare workers. Universal masking decreased the per patient day rate of high risk exposures by 68% and universal testing further decreased those exposures by 77%.

  Walker et al. (Sept 8, 2020). Decreasing High Risk Exposures for Healthcare-Workers through Universal Masking and Universal SARS-CoV-2 Testing upon Entry to a Tertiary Care Facility. Clinical Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1358