Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

6 INFECTION CONTROL Universal masking lowers COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers, study finds By Kelly Gooch U niversal masking at a Massachusetts health system led to a decrease in COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers, even as the virus spread increased in the surrounding community, according to a study published Oct. 21 by Occupational Medicine. e study — led by researchers at Cambridge (Mass.) Health Alliance, a Harvard-affiliated community health system, and the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston — compared COVID-19 infection rates between Cambridge Health Alliance and Massa- chusetts residents. e study period was March 17, when the first health system employee tested positive, to May 6, when Massachusetts began requiring masking in public places where social distancing isn't possible. From March 17 to April 1 (five days aer Cambridge Health Alliance implemented uni- versal masking), COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers at the health system were increasing at the same, relative steep rate as that of the surrounding community. Aer the masking intervention April 1-20, Cambridge Health Alliance flattened and decreased its curve significantly, while community infections continued to rise until Massachusetts reached its COVID-19 incidence peak on April 20, researchers said. Both infection rates declined at similar rates aer the surge peaked in Massa- chusetts April 20. "We found clear benefits to universal masking for preventing infectious spread within the work environment," study senior author Stefanos Kales, MD, division chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance and a professor at both Boston-based Harvard Medical School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, concluded. "Our findings suggest that a universal masking policy should be implemented and maintained in healthcare settings as well as within indoor businesses when physical distancing and venti- lation may be inadequate." n CDC launches $180M infection control training program By Mackenzie Bean T he CDC unveiled a national infection control training initiative Oct. 28 known as Project Firstline to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in healthcare settings. The $180 million initiative will offer new training modules, town hall discus- sions and telementoring services for front-line healthcare workers, including nurses, physicians and environmental service workers. The training entails 11 short, interactive videos on infection control best practices that healthcare workers can watch on their phones. The videos also explain the science and rationale behind each infection control practice. "The more we can educate healthcare workers on not just what to do, but why, the more likely they will do the right thing every time," Marie Cleary-Fishman, vice president of clinical quality at the American Hospital Association, who helped create the training program, said in a news release. Project Firstline stems from a collaboration between the CDC, more than a dozen health experts and 64 health departments nationwide. The group held listening sessions with front-line healthcare workers to help inform the infection control training curriculum. n Kaiser cited over lack of COVID-19 airborne precautions By Mackenzie Bean C alifornia officials cited Kaiser Permante for failing to treat COVID-19 as an airborne disease at a psychiatric facility in Santa Clara, report- ed CALMatters, a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued the citation Oct. 14 and recommended a $11,200 fine. Workplace safety officials said the psychiatric facility failed to provide N95 masks for workers, among other infection-control deficiencies. The citation marks the first of numerous citations Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente will likely receive for failing to acknowledge that COVID-19 can be spread via aerosols, a state employee who wished to remain anonymous told CALMatters. Kaiser said it respectfully disagrees with the citation and plans to appeal. Paul Thottingal, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Kaiser, said the health system follows the CDC's droplet precautions guidelines and California's aerosol transmissible diseases standards for all relevant pro- cedures. Employees treating confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients also wear proper personal protective equipment and work in isolated areas, according to Dr. Thottingal. "This approach is in line with CDC guidance, recommendations by the World Health Organization, and Cal/OSHA, and is consistent with the practices of other healthcare providers in California and around the coun- try," he said in a statement to Becker's. n

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