Observational Study on Healthcare Workers Protection in the Angiographic Suite during the Sars-COV-2 Pandemic: Before and during Vax Era

• Published in: Journal of public health research Vol. 10; no. 4
• Main Authors: Cernigliaro, Massimiliano, Negroni, Davide, Sassone, Miriana, Paladini, Andrea, Carriero, Alessandro, Saba, Luca, Guzzardi, Giuseppe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: PAGEPress Publications, Pavia, Italy 26-10-2021; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: COVID-19; healthcare safety; interventional radiology; management protocol
• ISSN: 2279-9036; 2279-9028; 2279-9036
• DOI: 10.4081/jphr.2021.2265

Background:
Since the first case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Italy, all the hospital facilities had to reform their daily activities. Amidst them, the Interventional Radiology Department in the “Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria” of Novara (Italy) had to create a dedicated protocol for the patent’s management during the pandemic.
Design and Methods:
The time interval between February 2020 and March 2021 was divided into three different periods and we reported the evolution of our safety protocol, the changes in our daily activities and the rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the healthcare workers (HCW) of the Angiographic Suite. Personnel who had positive partners/family members or who had established close contacts of another nature outside the workplace were excluded from the study, in order to reduce any bias.
Results:
A total of 35 HCWs served in 355 patient procedures on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients from February 2020 to March 2021. During the year there was a reduction in the morbidity rate first from 7.9% to 1.4% and then currently reaching 0%.
Conclusions:
Dedicated routes, elevators, establishing filter areas and a clear demarcation between clean and contaminated areas, dressing and undressing procedures, cleaning procedures and the obligation to always wear a surgical mask during the working shift are essential to prevent in-hospital infection. The vaccines’ arrival seems to further reduce the risk for healthcare workers, but it is still necessary to take docile precautions in view of the new mutations of the virus.
Significance for public health
During the last year, about 3.26 million infections for SARS-CoV-2 have occurred in Italy. Interventional Radiology has been placed in the second line due to its irreplaceable urgency activity (e.g., stroke and arterial bleeding). Currently, we are facing a new wave of infections, which, unlike the previous ones, is part of an active vaccination campaign on the population. Furthermore, the arrival of new SARS-CoV-2 mutant strains such as United Kingdom, South African and Brazilian variants, show different rates of virulence and contagion capacity. Through this study, a management model of the Angiographic Suite (aimed at the protection of personnel and for patient management) is proposed to face the new airborn pandemic. This protocol could be a precious hint for further and institutional regarding public health measures.