What is Nosocomial COVID19 Nosocomial means healthcare acquired

What is Nosocomial COVID-19 ? • Nosocomial means “healthcare acquired” • It is important to understand whether cases of COVID-19 may have been acquired as a result of the healthcare we provide. This helps us to: - identify and test any contacts who may have been infected - prevent further spread of the virus - identify where to target our resources • It is important to do this quickly – put simply the quicker this is done the less people will be infected • Don’t delay swabbing – a day makes a difference!

When to test non-elective patients for COVID-19 • Day 1 - the day of admission • Day 7 - if admission test negative (not required if admission test positive) • Re-test 48 hours before discharging to nursing/residential home • Test any patient who subsequently displays signs/symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (For elective admissions follow your elective admission testing policy)

When is COVID-19 considered nosocomial infection First positive specimen date: < = 2 days after admission* ? 3 – 7 days after admission*? 8 -14 days after admission*? 15 or more days after admission*? Admission is Day 1 CO (community onset) HOi. HA (healthcare onset indeterminate healthcare association) HOp. HA (healthcare onset probable healthcare association) HOd. HA (healthcare onset definite healthcare association)

What to do when a positive case is identified • • Isolate: Isolate the positive case into a single room or the identified BLUE COVID-19 cohort area Contain: If patient is in a bay with others close bay to new admissions. This is now a YELLOW contact zone. No transfers out to other wards unless to a contact cohort area or for urgent clinical need. Terminal clean of the zone required. Control: Swab all exposed patients. All patients now commence 14 days isolation: document start date in all patients’ notes Re-swab all exposed patients between days 5 to 7 after exposure irrespective of symptoms Re-swab and isolate any patient who becomes symptomatic within the 14 days isolation. Re-swab all patients between days 13 to 14. Bay may re-open once 14 days has elapsed since exposure and no further positive patients

How Else Can I Help? • Make sure you wash or gel your hands frequently • Try not to touch your eyes, nose, mouth or facial area • Make sure you have good respiratory/cough etiquette – sneeze or cough into a tissue, bin it, wash/gel your hands • Keep your work environment clean and clutter free (this includes offices) • Wipe down high touch surfaces regularly Keep yourself up to date with the guidance on the staff intranet