key: cord-0834304-ccfpdqr5
authors: Chan, Wing P.; Min-Szu, Yao; Ming-Fang, Lin; Hsiu-Chin, Chang; Kosik, Russell Oliver; Wen-Sen, Lee
title: Management and infection control practices in a Taiwanese radiology department during the COVID-19 outbreak
date: 2021-03-30
journal: J Microbiol Immunol Infect
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2021.03.012
sha: dd40d20d1c38d5e67519c83fb1cc776d98df516d
doc_id: 834304
cord_uid: ccfpdqr5

The radiology department was categorized as a “high risk area” during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and is similarly considered a “high risk area” during the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of infection control is to isolate patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 from uninfected people by utilizing separate equipment, spaces, and healthcare workers. Infection control measures should be prioritized to prevent the nosocomial spread of infection. We established a COVID-19 infection control team in our radiology department. The team’s responsibilities include triaging patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, performing imaging and reporting, using dedicated equipment, disinfecting the equipment and the immediate environment, and staff scheduling.

Co m p e t in g fin a n cia l a n d / o r n o n -fin a n cia l in t e re st s:

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In p ra ct ice s t h a t h a ve le d t o t h e ir su cce ss. Th e se p ra ct ice s in clu d e d e fin in g sa fe a n d u n sa fe zo n e s w it h in t h e d e p a rt m e n t , d e sign a t in g ce rt a in e q u ip m e n t fo r u se o n in fe ct e d p a t ie n t s o n ly, p re d e t e rm in in g sa fe t ra n sfe r ro u t e s b e t w e e n a p a t ie n t 's ro o m a n d t h e ra d io lo gy d e p a rt m e n t , a n d im a gin g in fe ct e d p a t ie n t s w it h in a se t t im e w in d o w o n ly 3,4,5 . In so m e re gio n s, la ck o f u n d e rst a n d in g a m o n gst h o sp it a l st a ff a b o u t h o w COVID-1 9 is t ra n sm it t e d m a y in cre a se t h e risk o f n o so co m ia l in fe ct io n , a n d t h e re fo re e d u ca t io n is a lso a n im p o rt a n t p a rt o f a n y su cce ssfu l in fe ct io n co n t ro l st ra t e gy 1,3 .

J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f 5 Ta iw a n 's e xp e rie n ce w it h SARS a llo w e d u s t o se a m le ssly im p le m e n t m a n a ge m e n t a n d in fe ct io n co n t ro l st ra t e gie s d u rin g t h e COVID-1 9 o u t b re a k. Ba se d o n t h e SARS in fe ct io n co n t ro l gu id e lin e s issu e d b y t h e Ta iw a n Ce n t e rs fo r Dise a se Co n t ro l, ra d io lo gy d e p a rt m e n t s a n d a ll im a gin g ro o m s a re cla ssifie d a s h igh -risk a re a s o f t h e h o sp it a l. To p -d o w n m a n a ge m e n t a n d in fe ct io n co n t ro l st ra t e gie s fo cu s e xclu sive ly o n t h e iso la t io n o f p a t ie n t s w it h su sp e ct e d o r co n firm e d COVID-1 9 fro m n o n -in fe ct e d p a t ie n t s b y u t ilizin g se p a ra t e p a t h s, sp a ce s, e q u ip m e n t , a n d st a ff. To p re ve n t cro ss- In t h is a rt icle , w e sh a re t h e COVID-1 9 m a n a ge m e n t a n d in fe ct io n co n t ro l J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f ( b ) W h e n a CT sca n is a b so lu t e ly n e ce ssa ry fo r a n in fe ct e d p e rso n w it h COVID-1 9 , a p p ro p ria t e in fe ct io n co n t ro l sh o u ld b e vigo ro u sly fo llo w e d b e fo re , d u rin g, a n d a ft e r t h e p ro ce d u re . Use o f a co n t ra st a ge n t is d isco u ra ge d .

3 . In t e r ve n t io n a l p ro ce d u re s ( a ) Ele ct ive in t e r ve n t io n a l p ro ce d u re s a re p o st p o n e d u n le ss t h e p ro ce d u re is a b so lu t e ly u rge n t a n d n e ce ssa ry. (c) Patients with mild cases should be examined before those with severe cases.

(d) Healthcare workers must wear tertiary PPE when imaging a person with COVID-19

in an isolation room.

Chest CT is not used to triage patients, screen PUIs, or diagnose patients with confirmed COVID-19 unless they are at risk for disease progression or display persistent RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) positivity during hospitalization.

Pulmonary COVID-19 usually manifests on chest CT as scattered areas of peripherally predominant ground glass. Typical findings are shown in Figure 1 . b a cks t o w a rd o n e a n o t h e r. Ea t in g a n d d rin kin g a re n o t a llo w e d d u rin g d a ily co n fe re n ce s a n d e d u ca t io n a l m e e t in gs.

In t e r-d e p a rt m e n t a l m e e t in gs a re su sp e n d e d , a n d vid e o co n fe re n cin g is u se d fo r re a l-t im e d iscu ssio n s. Illu st ra t io n o f t h e t w o zo n e s in o u r d e p a rt m e n t sp a ce . W it h in t h e 'risk' zo n e (co ra l), a ll st a ff sh o u ld d o n se co n d a ry p ro t e ct io n , e a t in g a n d d rin kin g a re p ro h ib it e d . In t h e 'cle a n '

zo n e (lim e ), a ll st a ff sh o u ld d o n p rim a ry p ro t e ct io n . Exit ro u t e s (gre e n , cle a n zo n e ; a p p le , risk zo n e ).

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