| Study name |
Prevention of SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19) transmission in residential aged care using ultraviolet light (PETRA) |
| Methods |
A multicentre, 2‐arm double‐cross‐over, randomised controlled trial will be conducted to determine the efficacy of GUV devices to reduce respiratory viral transmission in RACF, as an adjunct to existing infection control measures. The study will be conducted in partnership with 3 aged care providers in metropolitan and regional South Australia. RACF will be separated into paired within‐site zones, then randomised to intervention order (GUV or control). The initial 6‐week period will be followed by a 2‐week washout before cross‐over to the second 6‐week period. After accounting for estimated within‐zone and within‐facility correlations of infection, and baseline infection rates (10 per 100 person‐days), a sample size of n = 8 zones (n = 40 residents/zone) will provide 89% power to detect a 50% reduction in symptomatic infection rate. |
| Participants |
RACF within metropolitan and regional South Australia will be considered for recruitment if they possess the ability to sub‐divide communal living areas into discrete areas that enable a concurrent comparison of interventions, with the facility cohorts otherwise subject to the same facility practices (e.g. environmental cleaning, staffing, and social distancing). |
| Interventions |
The intervention will involve the commercially available Laftech GUV appliances: UV‐FLOW‐C wall‐ and ceiling‐mounted system, UV‐FAN‐XS wall‐mounted air purifier, and UV‐FAN M2/95HP air purification device (LAF Technologies, Melbourne, Australia). |
| Outcomes |
The primary outcome will be the incidence rate ratio of combined symptomatic respiratory infections for intervention versus control. Secondary outcomes include incidence rates of hospitalisation for complications associated with respiratory infection; respiratory virus detection in facility air and fomite samples; rates of laboratory‐confirmed respiratory illnesses and genomic characteristics. |
| Starting date |
|
| Contact information |
Andrew P. Shoubridge
The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia The Microbiome and Host Health Programme, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
|
| Notes |
|
