Administering CPR to PPE-protected healthcare workers during COVID-19
Editor's Note In this Letter to the Editor, physicians from the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, address the problem of treating a healthcare worker (HCW) who passes out in the OR during a surgical procedure on a COVID-19 patient. The…
COVID-19 in healthcare workers
Editor's Note This meta-analysis by researchers in Switzerland and Columbia finds that healthcare workers (HCWs) exhibit a high prevalence of COVID-19 infection, with a significant proportion of them being asymptomatic carriers. This favors silent transmission in clinical and community settings. The meta-analysis comprised 97 studies published in 2020, and 230,398…
Susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 to UV irradiation
Editor's Note In this study from Germany, researchers found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is highly susceptible to irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light. High viral loads (5x106TCID50/mL) were inactivated in 9 minutes with UVC (254 nm) irradiation. The UVC dose required for complete inactivation was 1,048 mJ/cm2. Exposure to UVA (365…
ECRI: Nearly 70% of N95 masks from China don’t meet US filtration standards
Editor's Note ECRI on September 22 released an analysis showing that 60% to 70% of N95 masks from China do not meet US standards for filtration and effectiveness. ECRI tested nearly 200 masks, reflecting 15 different manufacturer models, which have been purchased by large US healthcare systems. ECRI recommends not…
Risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in HCWs
Editor's Note In this study from Turkey, researchers investigated the specific risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care university hospital. Of 703 HCWs tested for COVID-19 during a 60-day period, 50 (7.1%) were positive. Positivity rates were 6.3% for physicians, 8.0% for nurses, 9.1%…
CDC deletes COVID-19 airborne transmission guidance
Editor's Note The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on September 21 issued a correction to its website, noting that a draft of proposed changes on how COVID-19 spreads, including guidance on airborne transmission, was posted in error on September 18. The CDC is currently updating its recommendations on…
Efficacy of povidone-iodine nasal antiseptic for rapid inactivation of SARS-CoV-2
Editor's Note This controlled, in-vitro study investigates the minimum contact time for povidone-iodine nasal antiseptic to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus. All laboratory work was conducted in biosafety level 3 laboratories at the Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University, Logan. Povidone-iodine was tested at diluted concentrations of 0.5%, 1.25%,…
COVID-19 infections in HCWs exposed to patient with delayed diagnosis
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, examine the risk in healthcare workers (HCWs) exposed to a 79-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on day 13 of hospitalization. A total of 44 HCWs were exposed to the patient before…
Fit testing, airborne protection of N95, other masks
Editor's Note Masks, such as N95 respirators, are made of material with sufficient high filter capacity to protect against airborne respiratory viruses. However, viral protection can only be provided by masks that properly fit the wearer’s face and provide a tight facial seal, this review article finds. Among the findings:…
ECRI, ISMP celebrate World Patient Safety Day September 17
Editor's Note ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) are joining global leaders in celebrating World Patient Safety Day, September 17, 2020. This year’s theme is “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety.” In honor of the day and to support healthcare workers, ECRI has launched a…
