ABSTRACT
Ambulatory care is an important service for patients with the COVID-19 infection especially in a regional area where most of the patients underwent home isolation. Escalation of treatment and timely transition to inpatient care are critical when COVID-19 patients deteriorate. Equally important is ensuring transfer into facility is carried out in a well-planned, safe manner to prevent exposure to health care professionals as well as other inpatients. This study is a summary of our COVID Hospital-in-the-Home (HITH) service and clinical presentation of COVID-19 patients.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/therapy , Home Care Services/organization & administration , Patient Transfer/organization & administration , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/therapy , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Betacoronavirus , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , New South Wales/epidemiology , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/physiopathology , Risk , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
The clinical false negative rate of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2 on a single upper respiratory tract sample was calculated using convalescent antibody testing as a comparator. The sensitivity in symptomatic individuals was 86.2% (25/29). Of the missed cases, one (3.5%) was detected by repeat RT-PCR, one by CT thorax and two (7.1%) by convalescent antibody. The clinical false negative rate of a single RT-PCR on an upper respiratory tract sample of 14% in symptomatic patients is reassuring when compared to early reports. This report supports a strategy of combining repeat swabbing, use of acute and convalescent antibody testing and CT thorax for COVID-19 diagnosis.