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Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection
. 2022 Feb 7:ciac113. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac113

Rapid control of hospital-based SARS-CoV-2 Omicron clusters through daily testing and universal use of N95 respirators

Meghan A Baker 1,2,3, Chanu Rhee 1,2, Robert Tucker 2, Amy Badwaik 2, Cassie Coughlin 3, Meghan A Holtzman 2, Candace Hsieh 3, Angela Maguire 2, Elizabeth Mermel Blaeser 2, Saranya Seetharaman 2, Ofelia Solem 2, Vineeta Vaidya 2, Michael Klompas 1,2,
PMCID: PMC8903387  PMID: 35137035

Abstract

The highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant increases risk for nosocomial transmission despite universal masking, admission testing, and symptom screening. We report large increases in hospital-onset infections and 2 unit-based clusters. The clusters rapidly abated after instituting universal N95 respirators and daily testing. Broader use of these strategies may prevent nosocomial transmissions.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, nosocomial infection, Omicron variant


Articles from Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

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