Mobile PCR-based surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 to reduce visiting restrictions in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Residents in nursing homes for the elderly (NH) are at high risk for death from COVID-19. We investigated whether repeated non-mandatory RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 surveillance of NH staff and visitors reduces COVID-19 incidence rates in NH residents and allows to reduce visiting restrictions.

Methods

This pilot study at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic compared a surveillance approach of regular, twice-weekly voluntary PCR testing of health-care workers (HCW) and visitors in interventional NH (INH) with a setting without regular testing in control NH (CNH). Residents were not tested routinely within this study. Testing was performed in a mobile testing site with same-day result reporting. SARS-CoV-2 incidence among residents in both INH and CNH was the primary endpoint

SUBMITTER: Stemler J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8527812 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature