There are epidemics in many hospitals. Experts explain why the epidemic in the hospital is difficult to prevent?

Source: Health Times reporter Zhao Weide Xu Shiyu

Health Times reporters found that during the current round of the epidemic, hospital clusters have occurred in Shanghai and Jilin, and many patients have been infected by medical staff.

Wang Guiqiang, an expert on joint prevention and control of the State Council, chairman of the Infectious Diseases Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Peking University First Hospital, pointed out that the virus is highly contagious, the risk of aerosol transmission is high, and the Iatrogenic exposure and other reasons lead to clustered outbreaks in hospitals.

The hospital conducts hospital infection prevention and control. Photo source Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital

An outbreak occurred in Jilin and Shanghai hospitals, and two parents of the patient tested positive

According to the “Shanghai Release” news, the Sixth People’s Hospital of Shanghai found that the nucleic acid test of inpatients from other provinces in Shanghai was positive during the risk screening of inpatients. positive infection.

On March 12, a family member of a doctor at the Jilin Provincial Tuberculosis Hospital complained that the hospital had infected patients and medical staff. According to a report by Jilin Daily on March 12, positive cases were found among medical staff and hospitalized tuberculosis patients at Jilin Provincial Tuberculosis Hospital.

The WeChat official account of Jilin Tuberculosis Hospital shows that the hospital is located in Jiutai District, Changchun City, and is a tertiary tuberculosis hospital.

Chen Li (pseudonym), a citizen of Jiutai District, Changchun City, Jilin Province, revealed to reporters that both her parents tested positive at the Jilin Provincial Tuberculosis Hospital and are being treated in isolation.

Chen Li told reporters, “Mother found large alveoli in her lungs in mid-February, and went to Jilin Provincial Tuberculosis Hospital for hospitalization, and her father went to the hospital to accompany her. No surgery was performed. On March 8, I received a notification from the hospital that my father had an abnormal nucleic acid test result and tested positive. On March 10, my mother also tested positive and is currently in isolation in Changchun Infectious Diseases Hospital.”

Chen Li said, “The mother has an underlying disease, has a severe cough and has difficulty breathing, and is worried that the new crown infection will exacerbate her condition. The doctor previously said that a severe cough will cause the bullae to rupture and cause suffocation. Get prompt treatment.”

Why is it difficult to prevent epidemics in hospitals?

Wang Guiqiang, a joint prevention and control expert of the State Council, chairman of the Infectious Diseases Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, and director of the Department of Infectious Diseases of Peking University First Hospital, said in an interview with a Health Times reporter that there were clusters of people in the hospital. The epidemic is caused by many factors. On the one hand, the virus is highly contagious and the risk of aerosol transmission is high. In the hospital environment, there are often high concentrations of aerosols. The Omikron virus is highly infectious and iterates rapidly. Invisible transmission leads to an increase in asymptomatic infections. If you are not careful, infection will occur.

On the other hand, medical staff are prone to fatigue and mental slack due to long working hours. According to Wang Guiqiang, iatrogenic exposure or occupational exposure is difficult to avoid, because medical staff have been fatigued for a long time, and once the behavior is abnormal, it is easy to increase the chance of exposure. In addition, excessive prevention and control is also an important factor leading to accidental exposure. For example, excessive prevention and control leads to difficulty in breathing. In the process of adjusting the mask, it increases the chance of exposure and causes infection.

Strengthen medical staff’s ability and awareness of self-prevention and control

“We must strengthen daily management and strengthen the self-prevention ability and awareness of medical staff.” Wang Guiqiang suggested that at the hospital level, regular nucleic acid screening should be carried out to ensure that medical staff are properly protected. Ensure rapid diagnosis after outbreak.

Second, make reasonable shifts to ensure adequate rest for medical staff.

Third, avoid excessive workload and excessive protection, and reduce the risk of occupational exposure of medical staff.

Fourth, guide and train new recruits through the nurses of the hospital’s sensory department, focusing on putting on and taking off the isolation suit.

Fifth, medical staff who work for a long time should avoid the mood of relaxation and slack, which will affect the basic prevention and control operations.