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Viral whole-genome sequencing to assess impact of universal masking on SARS-CoV-2 transmission among pediatric healthcare workers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2021

Larry K. Kociolek Open the ORCID record for Larry K. Kociolek [Opens in a new window] ,
Ami B. Patel ,
Judd F. Hultquist ,
Egon A. Ozer ,
Lacy M. Simons ,
Matthew McHugh ,
William J. Muller  and
Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo
Larry K. Kociolek*
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Ami B. Patel
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Judd F. Hultquist
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Egon A. Ozer
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Lacy M. Simons
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
Matthew McHugh
Affiliation:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
William J. Muller
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo
Affiliation:
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
*
Author for correspondence: Larry K. Kociolek, E-mail: lkociolek@luriechildrens.org
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Abstract

Objective:

To identify the impact of universal masking on COVID-19 incidence and putative SARS-CoV-2 transmissions events among children’s hospital healthcare workers (HCWs).

Design:

Quasi-experimental study.

Setting:

Single academic free-standing children’s hospital.

Methods:

We performed whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2- PCR-positive samples collected from HCWs 3 weeks before and 6 weeks after implementing a universal masking policy. Phylogenetic analyses were performed to identify clusters of clonally related SARS-CoV-2 indicative of putative transmission events. We measured COVID-19 incidence, SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rates, and frequency of putative transmission events before and after the masking policy was implemented.

Results:

HCW COVID-19 incidence and test positivity declined from 14.3 to 4.3 cases per week, and from 18.4% to 9.0%, respectively. Putative transmission events were only identified prior to universal masking.

Conclusions:

A universal masking policy was associated with reductions in HCW COVID-19 infections and occupational acquisition of SARS-CoV-2.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 43 , Issue 10 , October 2022 , pp. 1408 - 1412
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

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References

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