Allowing Access to Parents into COVID-19 Hospitalization Areas Does Not Increase Infections among Hospital Workers in a Pediatric Hospital

ABSTRACT

Background At the beginning of the current COVID-19 pandemic, it became critical to isolate all infected patients, regardless of their age. In the case of hospitalized children, isolation imposes a significant, negative impact on the well-being of isolated infants and their parents, in addition to the deleterious effect that the clinical condition and hospitalization by itself inflicts on patients and their families;this negative effect must be weighed against the potential risk that visitation might have on COVID-19 dissemination, mostly among hospital workers. Method Parents were gradually allowed during supervised, restricted visit time, progressively increasing the visitation time, and carefully monitoring for the presence of COVID-19 symptoms among healthcare workers (HCW) in the COVID-19 area, who were also tested for the infection when clinically justified. Family members were interrogated about symptoms and signs suggestive of COVID-19 infection, or positive PCR testing within 14 days of hospital stay. Results We found that, when safely implemented, allowing parents to spend time with their hospitalized COVID-19 children does not increase the contagion risk for hospital workers. The percentage of COVID-19 cases among HCW decreased after parents were allowed to visit their children in the COVID-19 areas. The percentage dropped from 27.78% to 12.77% (p=0.022). The rate of workers with COVID-19 for every 1000 shifts per worker was reduced after the parents were allowed to visit, although no statistically significant differences were found. Only 6 out of 129 parents (4.65%), that visited their children, were infected and there is no guarantee that they got infected within the hospital. Conclusion With proper training, parents do not increase the risk of infection among healthcare workers or among themselves. To develop and implement policies to permit the children to be accompanied during their suffering should be a standard in the context of an epidemic and out of it.