ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 epidemic has swept across China and spread to other countries. The rapid spreading of COVID-19 and panic combined with the lack of a hierarchical medical system in China have resulted in a huge number of hospital visiting which are overwhelming local medical system and increasing the incidence of cross infection. To meliorate this situation, we adopted the management concept of the system of Tiered Diagnosis and Treatment and developed an online tool for self-triage based on the mostly used multi-purpose smartphone app Wechat in China. This online tool helps people perform self-triage so that they can decide whether to quarantine at home or visit hospital. This tool further provides instructions for home quarantine and help patients make an appointment online if hospital visiting suggested. This smartphone application can reduce the burden on hospitals without losing the truly COVID-19 patients and protect people from the danger of cross infection.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To improve the infection control and prevention practices against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in radiology department through loophole identification and providing rectifying measurements. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 2 cases of health-care-associated COVID-19 transmission in 2 radiology departments and comparing the infection control and prevention practices against COVID-19 with the practices of our department, where no COVID-19 transmission has occurred. RESULTS: Several loopholes have been identified in the infection control and prevention practices against COVID-19 of the 2 radiology departments. Loopholes were in large part due to our limited understanding of the highly contagious coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is characterized by features not observed in other SARS viruses. We recommend to set up an isolation zone for handling patients who do not meet the diagnostic criteria of COVID-19 but are not completely cleared of the possibility of infection. CONCLUSIONS: Loopholes in the infection control and prevention practices against COVID-19 of the 2 radiology departments are due to poor understanding of the emerging disease which can be fixed by establishing an isolation zone for patients not completely cleared of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/prevention & control , Hospital Design and Construction/methods , Infection Control/methods , Quality Improvement , Radiology Department, Hospital , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
The COVID-19 epidemic, which is caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has spread rapidly to become a world-wide pandemic. Chest radiography and chest CT are frequently used to support the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. However, multiple cases of COVID-19 transmission in radiology department have been reported. Here we summarize the lessons we learned and provide suggestions to improve the infection control and prevention practices of healthcare workers in departments of radiology.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Disease Transmission, Infectious/prevention & control , Infection Control/standards , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , Radiology Department, Hospital/standards , Radiology/standards , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/classification , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Disinfection/standards , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Pandemics/classification , Patient Isolation , Pneumonia, Viral/classification , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/transmission , Public Health/education , Radiology/educationABSTRACT
Since the beginning of 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread throughout China. This study explains the findings from lung computed tomography images of some patients with COVID-19 treated in this medical institution and discusses the difference between COVID-19 and other lung diseases.
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections/diagnostic imaging , Pneumonia, Viral/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, X-Ray Computed , Betacoronavirus/isolation & purification , COVID-19 , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
The outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pneumonia was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019 and has spread internationally. This article discusses how radiology departments can most effectively respond to this public health emergency.