Table 1.

Geographical comparison of healthcare facilities and IPC preparedness for patients with COVID-19, results from a survey of representatives from 339 responses in 63 countries worldwide, February–March 2020.

	No. (%) of respondents	Comparison between regions
		Africa	Americas	East Mediterranean	Europe	Southeast Asia	Western Pacific	P-value
	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
COVID-19 guidelines
National guidelines	226 (66.67)	53 (46.9)	22 (66.67)	13 (86.67)	65 (70.65)	60 (83.33)	13 (92.86)	<0.001
Local guidelines	182 (53.69)	40 (35.4)	21 (63.64)	8 (53.33)	42 (45.65)	62 (86.11)	9 (64.29)	<0.001
Guidelines recommend the use of PPE
Guidelines address PPE	214 (63.13)	60 (53.1)	20 (60.61)	9 (60)	51 (55.43)	63 (87.5)	11 (78.57)	<0.001
Facemask	272 (80.24)	87 (76.99)	25 (75.76)	11 (73.33)	70 (76.09)	65 (90.28)	14 (100)	0.06
Gown	251 (74.04)	81 (71.68)	22 (66.67)	9 (60)	65 (70.65)	60 (83.33)	14 (100)	0.04
Cap	182 (64.31)	66 (68.75)	8 (29.63)	5 (50)	42 (60)	57 (86.36)	4 (28.57)	<0.001
Eye protection	245 (72.27)	75 (66.37)	22 (66.67)	10 (66.67)	65 (70.65)	60 (83.33)	13 (92.86)	0.07
Gloves	266 (97.08)	90 (96.77)	26 (96.3)	10 (100)	65 (95.59)	62 (98.41)	13 (100)	0.004
Preparedness effort
Hand hygiene	259 (96.28)	86 (93.48)	24 (92.31)	10 (100)	63 (98.44)	65 (98.48)	11 (100)	0.34
Training HCWs	235 (86.72)	67 (72.83)	24 (85.71)	10 (100)	59 (92.19)	64 (96.97)	11 (100)	<0.001
PPE in community	144 (53.33)	51 (55.43)	8 (29.63)	1 (10)	27 (42.19)	51 (77.27)	6 (54.55)	<0.001
PPE in the outpatient setting	243 (91.35)	80 (86.96)	21 (84)	10 (100)	56 (90.32)	65 (98.48)	11 (100)	0.07
Environmental decontamination
Use of hypochlorite	199 (73.7)	74 (80.43)	13 (48.15)	5 (50)	40 (62.5)	61 (92.42)	6 (54.55)	<0.001
Automated disinfection system	100 (37.04)	12 (13.04)	6 (22.22)	4 (40)	25 (39.06)	52 (78.79)	1 (9.09)	<0.001

COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; HCW, healthcare worker; IPC, infection prevention and control; PPE, personal protective equipment.