Intubation amidst COVID-19: how mask protocols and communication impact SARS-CoV-2 transmission among medical staff
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3396/ijic.v21.23752Keywords:
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, endotracheal intubation, epidemiology, medical staffAbstract
Objective: To describe the sequence of (Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2) infection following endotracheal intubation in Coronavirus disease 2019 patients.
Design: A retrospective case series study. This analysis focuses on cases involving hospital medical staff who contracted SARS-CoV-2 after performing endotracheal intubation on a COVID-19 patient on August 2, 2021, at Hoan My Thu Duc Hospital, a private hospital treating COVID-19 patients in Vietnam. The participants were 13 medical staff members involved in aerosol-generating procedures.
Results: The infection spread to eight healthcare workers directly involved in emergency intubation. Five were suspected of contracting SARS-CoV-2 immediately following the emergency treatment of COVID-19 patients, and three were infected via transmission from their colleagues. The improper fit of N95 masks and failure to wear them during interpersonal communication were identified as significant risk factors.
Conclusions: The research underscores the critical need for proper N95 mask fit during aerosol-generating procedures. Healthcare professionals treating COVID-19 patients must consistently use masks when communicating with colleagues, even outside of work hours, to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2 among medical staff.
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