Availability of personal protective equipment and infection prevention supplies during the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic: A national study by the APIC COVID-19 task force

• Published in: American journal of infection control 2021-04, Vol.49 (4), p.434-437
• Main Authors: Rebmann, Terri, Vassallo, Angela, Holdsworth, Jill E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Data Collection; Disinfectants; Hand Hygiene; Humans; Infection Control; Major; Occupational Exposure - prevention & control; Pandemic; Personal Protective Equipment - supply & distribution; SARS-CoV-2; Surge capacity; Time Factors; United States - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0196-6553; 1527-3296
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2020.08.029

•Soon after SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, anecdotal reports indicated that many US hospitals and healthcare facilities were running low on personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies.•An online survey was administered to all Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology members in March 2020, to assess access to PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies.•Findings from the study indicated that many US healthcare facilities reported having very low amounts of PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies early on during the pandemic.•Face shields and N95 respirators were the least available PPE reported.•A lack of PPE can lead to occupational exposures and illness as well as healthcare-associated transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease was first discovered in China in December, 2019. The disease quickly spread globally, with the first US case identified in January, 2020; it was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Soon after, anecdotal reports indicated that many US hospitals and healthcare facilities were running low on personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies. An online survey was administered to all Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology members in March, 2020 to assess access to PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies. In all, 1,201 infection preventionists participated. Participants reported running a bit low to almost being out of all PPE types. More had sufficient gloves (63.4%) compared to all other PPE types (P < .001 for all). Face shields and N95 respirators were the least available (13.6% and 18.2% had sufficient supplies, respectively; p < .001 for all). Many (66.9%) had sufficient hand soap, but far fewer had sufficient hand sanitizer (29.5%, X2 = 211.1, P < .001). Less than half (45.4%, n = 545) had sufficient disinfection supplies. Many US healthcare facilities had very low amounts of PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies early on during the pandemic. A lack of these supplies can lead to occupational exposures and illness as well as healthcare-associated transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases.