Open AccessExamining Common Characteristics Among Healthcare Personnel Positive for COVID-19 and the Effectiveness of Healthcare Personnel Mask Use in Preventing COVID-19 in a Large Health System in Central Michigan
Author(s) -
Mohamed Adawee,
Renee E. Brum,
Lauretta Ellsworth
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of occupational and environmental medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.712
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1536-5948
pISSN - 1076-2752
DOI - 10.1097/jom.0000000000002077
Subject(s) - covid-19 , health care , healthcare system , medicine , healthcare worker , environmental health , family medicine , virology , political science , pathology , disease , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
The aim of this quality improvement project was to survey commonalities among healthcare personnel (HCP) who tested positive for COVID-19 and to evaluate the effectiveness the organizational intervention to require HCP wear masks throughout their shift. Information regarding the 40 HCP who tested positive for COVID-19 between the dates of March 18, 2020 and May 13, 2020 were included in the analysis. Nurses (n = 9) made up the majority of HCP positive for COVID-19. The most common types of symptoms reported were cough (n = 26), headache (n = 20), and fever (n = 13). Fourteen days after the requirement for HCP across the organization to wear masks throughout their shift was implemented, a 67% reduction in positive tests among HCP involved in a workplace exposure was observed.