ABSTRACT
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial stewardship is a cause for serious concern. There is evidence of increased antibiotic usage in many settings and fears of over-use, especially of broad-spectrum antibiotics in patients with COVID-19, raising concerns about potential impact on antimicrobial resistance globally. At the same time, the pandemic has impacted the provision of education and training throughout the health and education sectors, during a period when health services and staff were under unprecedented pressure. All-Wales Antimicrobial Resistance Educators (AWARE) is an interprofessional network of healthcare professionals whose roles include provision of antimicrobial stewardship education in National Health Service health boards across Wales. The aim of this report was to use AWARE project data to study the impact of the pandemic on the provision of antimicrobial stewardship education and training in healthcare settings in Wales in 2020, compared to 2019. Overall, the number of staff reached by education increased by 10%, despite the number of educational sessions falling by 26% and the number of hours of teaching by 43%. Rapid switch to virtual education allowed fewer, shorter, educational sessions, allowing more staff to be reached.
ABSTRACT
Since first identified in late 2019, the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) and the resulting coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has overwhelmed healthcare systems worldwide, often diverting key resources in a bid to meet unprecedented challenges. To measure its impact on national antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities, a questionnaire was designed and disseminated to antimicrobialstewardship leads in the United Kingdom (UK). Most respondents reported a reduction in AMS activity with 64% (61/95) reporting that COVID-19 had a negative impact on routine AMS activities. Activities reported to have been negatively affected by the pandemic include audit, quality improvement initiatives, education, AMS meetings, and multidisciplinary working including ward rounds. However, positive outcomes were also identified, with technology being increasingly used as a tool to facilitate stewardship e.g., virtual meetings and ward rounds and increased the acceptance of using procalcitonin tests to distinguish between viral and bacterial infections. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the AMS activities undertaken across the UK. The long-term impact of the reduced AMS activities on incidence of AMR are not yet known. The legacy of innovation, use of technology, and increased collaboration from the pandemic could strengthen AMS in the post-pandemic era and presents opportunities for further development of AMS.