ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To further standardize and guide the infection prevention and control(IPC) in designated hospitals so as to effectively ensure the stability, order and safety of medical treatment, ensure the safety of health care workers and patients, and reduce cross infections caused by the transmission of COVID-19. METHODS: The experts who repeatedly participated in the national COVID-19 medical treatment and IPC were invited to compile the consensus based on latest national norms, characteristics of the omicron and situation of epidemic prevention and control. RESULTS: The consensus consisted of two major parts: comprehensive coverage and control of infections in designated hospitals, with 47 recommendations involved. CONCLUSION: The expert consensus will provide guidance for the upcoming prevention and control of infection in designated hospitals.
ABSTRACT
Makeshift hospitals have played an important role in responding to the spread of the epidemic caused by the Omicron coronavirus variant, one of the novel coronavirus(SARS-CoV-2) strains with significantly enhanced infectiousness. In order to prevent the patients, healthcare workers and other staff against from infection, Healthcare-associated Infection Management Committee of Chinese Hospital Association organized domestic experts to jointly formulate this consensus according to the comprehensive consideration of national guidelines as well as the actual characteristics and needs of makeshift hospitals. This consensus is mainly applicable for makeshift hospitals where a large number of asymptomatic and mild cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) are treated. It provides guidance for the managers and staff to implement prevention and control work in line with local conditions in makeshift hospitals based on a perfect organizational structure and efficient working mechanism, the prevention and control work includes training and assessment of infection control knowledge and skills, flowing in and out of the makeshift hospitals for staff and materials, infection monitoring and feedback, implementation of infection prevention and control measures, requirements for infection management in key areas, occupational protection of staff and terminal disinfection, etc. Meanwhile, this consensus particularly emphasizes that the infection prevention and control in makeshift hospitals is a systematic project, which requires not only multi-system and multi-department collaboration, but also uniting in a concrete effort among leaders and staff. In accordance with the national guidelines and evidence-based experiences, it is very important to combine theory with practice for ensuring efficient operation and safety of makeshift hospitals.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since SARS-CoV-2 infection was first identified in December 2019, the novel coronavirus-induced pneumonia COVID-19 spread rapidly and triggered a global pandemic. Recent bioinformatics evidence suggested that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-the main cell entry target of SARS-CoV-2-was predominantly enriched in spermatogonia, Leydig and Sertoli cells, which suggests the potential vulnerability of the male reproductive system to SARS-CoV-2 infection. OBJECTIVES: To identify SARS-CoV-2 RNA in seminal plasma and to determine semen characteristics from male patients in the acute and recovery phases of infection. METHODS: From February 26 to April 2, 2020, 23 male patients with COVID-19 were recruited. The clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and chest computed tomography scans of all patients were recorded in detail. We also investigated semen characteristics and the viral RNA load in semen from these patients in the acute and recovery phases of SARS-CoV-2 infection using approved methods. RESULTS: The age range of the 23 patients was 20-62 years. All patients tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen specimens. Among them, the virus had been cleared in 11 patients, as they tested negative. The remaining 12 patients tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in semen samples, but were positive in sputum and fecal specimens. The median interval from diagnosis to providing semen samples was 32 days, when total sperm counts, total motile sperm counts, and sperm morphology of the patients were within normal ranges. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In this cohort of patients with a recent infection or recovering from COVID-19, there was no SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected in semen samples, which indicates the unlikely possibility of sexual transmission through semen at about 1 month after first detection.