In this study, a patient space occupied by a patient with confirmed COVID-19 in an open-space multiple bed area in the Intermediate Care Unit will be equipped with a mobile, optimally placed high efficiency particulate air ("HEPA")-equivalent air filtration unit ("Baldachin") in addition to existing hospital policy infection prevention and control measures. The investigators are going to evaluate this intervention regarding its capacity to prevent the nosocomial onwards transmission of Sars-COV2 to patients located in the same multiple-bed open space patient area.
SARS-CoV-2 transmission includes a considerable amount of long-distance aerosol transmission. Ideal isolation is in single rooms. Isolation in special care multiple bed open-space patient areas (e.g. in the Intensive and Intermediate Care Unit) is set back to onsite isolation with distancing and ventilation as partial mitigation measures against nosocomial transmission. The investigators want to assess the effect of supplementation of existing room ventilation by means of an optimally placed mobile high efficiency particulate air ("HEPA") filtration unit ("Baldachin") in the ceiling area over confirmed COVID-19 infected patients on nosocomial onwards transmission to patients located in the same open-space multiple bed area. In order to quantify the effect, the investigators will determine the proportion of nosocomially infected individuals as assessed by nasopharyngeal swab on day 4 after the last exposure amongst all in the same room exposed patients in cardiovascular open-space Intermediate Care Unit rooms with "Baldachin" vs. open-space Intermediate Care Unit rooms without "Baldachin".
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
104
Environmental intervention: Equipment of a patient space of a patient with confirmed COVID-19 in open-space multiple bed Intermediate Care Unit areas with a mobile, optimally placed high efficiency particulate air ("HEPA")-equivalent air filtration unit ("Baldachin") in addition to existing room ventilation and hospital policy infection prevention and control measures.
Inselspital Bern University Hospital
Bern, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
RECRUITINGProportion of nosocomially infected individuals within 4 days after exposure
Assessed by nasopharyngeal swab on day 4 after the last exposure amongst all in the same room exposed patients in cardiovascular open-space Intermediate Care Unit ("IMC") rooms with the environmental interventions vs. open-space IMC rooms without the environmental intervention
Time frame: 4 days after last exposure
Exposure duration
Expected to be on average hours up to a few days
Time frame: Period when exposed to a patient with confirmed COVID-19 in the same room
Proportion of immunocompromised patients among those exposed
e.g. patients under treatment with steroids, chemotherapy
Time frame: At the time of exposure
Preexisting air change rate per hour in the rooms where exposure occurs
Time frame: At the time of exposure
Age of exposed patients
As part of the demographic characteristics
Time frame: At the time of exposure
Gender of exposed patients
As part of the demographic characteristics
Time frame: At the time of exposure
Proportion of nosocomially infected patients within 10 days after exposure
As documented in the electronic patient record
Time frame: 10 days after last exposure
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