Evidence-based aerosol clearance times in a healthcare environment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

As researchers race to understand the nature of COVID-19 transmission, healthcare institutions must treat COVID-19 patients while also safeguarding the health of staff and other patients. One aspect of this process involves mitigating aerosol transmission of the SARS-CoV2 virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides general guidance on airborne contaminant removal, but directly measuring aerosol clearance in clinical rooms provides empirical evidence to guide clinical procedure.

Aim

We present a risk-assessment approach to empirically measuring and certifying the aerosol clearance time (ACT) in operating and procedure rooms to improve hospital efficiency while also mitigating the risk of nosocomial infection.

Methods

Rooms were

SUBMITTER: Hara SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8364401 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature