Considerations Regarding the Characteristics of Disabilities and the Result of PCR Tests during a COVID-19 Outbreak at a Facility for Persons with Disabilities / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

ABSTRACT

Objective：As the number of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) increases, the infection control measures at facilities for persons with disabilities are also having a great impact. In January 2021, there was an outbreak at our facility for children with disabilities, which was found to have a total of 42 PCR-positive persons, 16 admitted patients, and 26 staff members. Although the 16 admitted patients had a mild illness, it was challenging to deal with it because we needed to continue nursing in the facility while taking isolation measures. Analysis was performed to determine the association between the characteristics of disabilities and the result of PCR tests.Methods：Multivariate nominal logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of age, sex, intellectual level, and degree of motor disabilities of all admitted patients with the results of PCR tests.Results：Age, sex, and intellectual level were not associated to the results of PCR tests. However, regarding degree of motor disabilities, there were significantly more PCR positive persons in the self-movable group than in the bedridden group.Conclusion：In our facility, contacts among patients and between patients and staffs are close because all patients need supports for individual disabilities. In particular, the self-movable group tends to be densely crowded and to have close relationships with each other, which was considered to be one of the factors of the outbreak. In facilities for persons with disabilities, infection control could be more difficult for patients who maintain a certain degree of self-movable functions.