Journal of Infectious Diseases & Preventive Medicine
Open Access
ISSN: 2329-8731
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2329-8731
+44 1300 500008
Kushlani Jayatilleke
Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Infect Dis Preve Med
COVID-19 pandemic spread through the globe and the effect of it in LMICs were enormous. Recommendations for PPE for HCWs who care for suspected or diagnosed patient with COVID-19 was diverse. WHO provided the guidelines on IPC measures including mask use after considering the available evidence and the practicality, feasibility, acceptability and equity. Most HCWs in Sri Lanka wanted “full PPE” with a respirator, though the WHO recommended medical or surgical mask when caring for suspected COVID-19 patients. The demand for PPE especially N95 masks were very high globally and availability was limited. Elastomeric respirators (ER) were introduced to Sri Lankan hospitals at this point as a solution. Adverse events were reported by all who used ER compared. HCWs who used disposable N95 masks for a longer duration had experienced more adverse events. Use of PPE during healthcare in SJGH during COVID-19 pandemic was variable between HCWs in spite of having guidelines. Wearing a mask is useful for source control and therefore should be encouraged as much as possible. Wearing a mask may not be practical, especially if the patient has symptoms of COVID-19, limiting the usefulness of the mask for source control in the healthcare setting. Acquiring COVID-19 infection in hospital setting was not common in spite of not using respirators during all healthcare encounters. HCWs acquired infection when the source patients had Ct values of less than 25 in the PCR or were RAT positive. More than 15 minutes of exposure, performing an aerosol generating procedure and not having a mask on the source patient were significantly associated with acquiring COVID-19 infection. In a case control study being within 1m distance from the source was a statistically significant risk factor. Three times higher risk was observed when exposure time was >15minutes and when the source was not wearing the mask. The fit of KN95 respirators which were used during the Covid-19 pandemic in our local setting was unsatisfactory. Tie on medical masks worn in the modified knot-and-tuck method achieved better degrees of fit than that from a KN95 respirator worn without a fitting device.
Dr Kushlani Jayatilleke has obtained her MBBS from University of Colombo and post graduate Diploma in medical microbiology and MD in medical microbiology from Postgraduate Institute of Medicince, University of Colombo in 1998 and 2001 respectively. She is a board certified consultant and a registered specialist in medical microbiology in Sri lanka and currently the consultant clinical microbiologist in the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka. She has published many papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member in many. She has been a speaker in many local and international clinical meetings and is also a memeber of the expert pannel of Guideline Development Group for the Infection Prevention and Control unit, WHO, Geneva).