Forward Action Plan for adherence to Infection Prevention And Control to Health Care Workers During Care For Suspected or Confirmed Covid-19 Patients

Background: Healthcare workers are the frontline armies in the fight against the Corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and their safety should be an urgent focus in the global response to the pandemic. The study aims to suggests a forward action plan for adherence to infection prevention and control to health care workers during care for suspected or confirmed Covid-19 patients at Hospitals based on gaps, weaknesses, and barriers from health care workers (HCWs) perspective. Design: A cross-sectional study was used. Tools: A validated electronic self- assessment tool built-in Google drive and was distributed to HCWs who have been exposed to the patient(s)with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 in at different Cities (Zagazig city, Mansoura city, and Cairo city) in Egypt. Two tools were used 1) included three sections: personal and job characteristics of HCWs, the COVID-19 infection rate among HCWs, adherence of HCWs to infection prevention and control during health care, and 2) the barriers to applying preventive measures. EQUATOR research checklist (STROBE) were used by the researchers. Results: Around 439 HCWs participated in the study; 225 were males and 214 were females. (63.1%) of the respondents were nurses. (59.7%) of the respondents were contacted and 13.2% were infected and COVID-19 test results were positive. Conclusions: Strengths in adherence of HCWs regarding triage, early recognition, and source control, standard precaution for all patients, empiric additional precautions, wearing and removing protective equipment and administrative controls play important role in infection control. However, a number of gaps and weaknesses were revealed in applying preventive measures to control infection with COVID-19.