Strategies utilized to prevent and control SARS-CoV-2 transmission in two congregate, psychiatric healthcare settings during the pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial effect on the delivery of psychiatric health care. Inpatient psychiatric health care facilities have experienced outbreaks of COVID-19, making these areas particularly vulnerable.

Methods: Our facility used a multidisciplinary approach to implement enhanced infection prevention and control (IPC) interventions in our psychiatric health care areas.

Results: In a 16-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic, our 2 facilities provided >29,000 patient days of care to 1,807 patients and identified only 47 COVID-19 positive psychiatric health inpatients (47/1,807, or 2.6%). We identified the majority of these cases by testing all patients at admission, preventing subsequent outbreaks. Twenty-one psychiatric health care personnel were identified as COVID+ during the same period, with 90% linked to an exposure other than a known positive case at work.

Discussion: The IPC interventions we implemented provided multiple layers of safety for our patients and our staff. Ultimately, this resulted in low SARS-CoV-2 infection rates within our facilities.

Conclusions: Psychiatric health care facilities are uniquely vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks because they are congregate units that promote therapeutic interactions in shared spaces. IPC interventions used in acute medical care settings can also work effectively in psychiatric health care, but often require modifications to ensure staff and patient safety.

Keywords: Infection control; Infection prevention; Isolation precautions; Mental health; SARS-CoV-2.