The study's goal is to find out how common SARS-CoV-2 is in asymptomatic healthcare workers and patients, as well as the impact of preventative measures, at a private oncology provider in the United Kingdom. The findings of this study are applicable to other healthcare organizations interested in implementing a SARS-CoV-2 preventative testing program. Design of the Study: In this study, asymptomatic staff and patients were enrolled in a prospective screening program called the SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Testing Program (COVID-ATP), which consisted of a nasopharyngeal swab test for SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA. The program ran from April to December 2020, at the height of the pandemic, and covered the first lockdown, the summer period of viral remission, and the second wave in autumn/winter 2020. We present our results from April to October 2020 in this section. Methods: Cancer patients were checked at predetermined intervals based on their treatment plan, and asymptomatic personnel working in 14 different locations were tested weekly. The COVID-ATP testing program was supplemented by staff and patient adherence to infection prevention control (IPC) procedures, social distancing, clinic spacing, virtual clinics, intensive cleaning routines, and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use. Results: An average of 204 healthcare workers and 21 patients were tested each week. The prevalence of asymptomatic staff infection was 0.8 percent shortly after the first lockdown in April/May 2020, 0 percent between June/July 2020, 1 percent in August/September 2020, and 0.8 percent in September/October 2020. Two asymptomatic patients tested positive on routine testing near the end of the first lockdown, but they continued with treatment and fared well. According to Public Health England guidelines, employees who tested positive on routine testing were placed in a period of self-isolation. Conclusions: This is the first longitudinal study to use a systematic testing program to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 in healthcare staff and patients in a private healthcare group in the United Kingdom. At the time of testing, the asymptomatic COVID-19 prevalence in staff was comparable to the community prevalence in England, and the temporal prevalence mirrored community prevalence trends. The protective measures implemented within the centers, as well as the self-isolation of staff who tested positive, resulted in a lack of viral spread. As we entered the second wave, the program was extended until December 2020, with no increase in the prevalence of asymptomatic infections. The introduction of mass vaccinations in England beginning in December 2020 provided additional protection against the virus for those vulnerable cancer patients.
Author (S) Details
Dr. P. Kechagioglou
Department of Clinical Oncology, GenesisCare Windsor, UK.
View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/HMMS-V4/article/view/1696
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