Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2022.32.3.304

Comparative Analysis of COVID-19 Infection Prevention Control Guidelines from Seven Countries: Implications on COVID-19 Response and Future Guidelines Development  

Jeong, Yoolwon (Ministry of Health and Welfare)
Lee, Sun-Hee (Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University)
Publication Information
Health Policy and Management / v.32, no.3, 2022 , pp. 304-316 More about this Journal
Abstract
Background: As prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission in healthcare settings has become a critical component in its effective management, COVID-19 specific infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines were developed and implemented by numerous countries. Although largely based on the current evidence-base, guidelines show much heterogeneity, as they are influenced by respective health system capacities, epidemiological risk, and socioeconomic status. This study aims to analyze the variations and concurrences of these guidelines to draw policy implications for COVID-19 response and future guidelines development. Methods: The contents of the COVID-19 IPC guidelines were analyzed using the categories and codes developed based on "World Health Organization guidelines on core components." Data analysis involved reviewing, appraising and synthesizing data from guidelines, which were then arranged into categories and codes. Selection of countries was based on the country income level, availability of COVID-19 specific IPC guideline developed at a national or district level. Results: The guidelines particularly agreed on IPC measures regarding application of standard precautions and providing information to patients and visitors, monitoring and audit of IPC activities and staff illnesses, and management of built environment/equipments. The guidelines showed considerable differences in certain components, such as workplace safety measures and criteria for discontinuation of precautions. Several guidelines also contained unique features which enabled a more systematic response to COVID-19. Conclusion: The guidelines generally complied with the current evidence-based COVID-19 management but also revealed variances stemming from differences in local health system capacity. Several unique features should be considered for benchmark in future guidelines development.
Keywords
Infection control; COVID-19; Guideline; Comparative study;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 2  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Considerations for integrating infection prevention and control into national pandemic preparedness and response planning for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) [Internet]. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2021 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coro navirus/2019-ncov/downloads/hcp/COVID-19-pandemic-planIPC-considerations-050820.pdf.
2 Rosenthal VD, McCormick RD, Guzman S, Villamayor C, Orellano PW. Effect of education and performance feedback on handwashing: the benefit of administrative support in Argentinean hospitals. Am J Infect Control 2003;31(2):85-92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1067/mic.2003.63.   DOI
3 Viana WN, Bragazzi C, Couto de Castro JE, Alves MB, Rocco JR. Ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention by education and two combined bedside strategies. Int J Qual Health Care 2013;25(3): 308-313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzt025.   DOI
4 Kilbride HW, Wirtschafter DD, Powers RJ, Sheehan MB. Implementation of evidence-based potentially better practices to decrease nosocomial infections. Pediatrics 2003;111(4 Pt 2):e519-e533. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.111.se1.e519.   DOI
5 Min J, Kang JY, Kim J, Yang J, Kwon Y, Shim E, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on TB services in Korea. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2021; 25(5):400-402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtld.20.0942.   DOI
6 Lee SH. Coexisting with the coronavirus, how to prepare for it. Health Policy Manag 2021;31(3):241-243. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.3.241.   DOI
7 Central Disease Control Headquarters. COVID-19 infection prevention and control for hospital-level healthcare facilities [Internet]. Sejong: Ministry of Health and Welfare; 2020 [cited 2022 May 1. Available from: http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/shBoardView.do?brdId=2&brdGubun=24&ncvContSeq=1277.
8 Jeong Y, Kim K. A comparative analysis of healthcare-associated infection policy in South Korea and its implications in coronavirus disease 2019. Health Policy Manag 2021;31(3):312-327. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2021.31.3.327.   DOI
9 Aghdassi SJ, Grisold A, Wechsler-Fordos A, Hansen S, Bischoff P, Behnke M, et al. Evaluating infection prevention and control programs in Austrian acute care hospitals using the WHO Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2020;9(1):92. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-020-00761-2.   DOI
10 Department of Health and Social Care; Public Health Wales; Public Health Agency Northern Ireland; Health Protection Scotland/ National Services Scotland; Public Health England; NHS England. COVID-19: guidance for maintaining services within health and care settings: infection prevention and control recommendations: version 1.2 [Internet]. London: NHS England; 2021 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: http://allcatsrgrey.org.uk/wp/wpfb-file/20210602_infection_prevention_and_control_guidance_for_maintaining_services_with_h_and_c_settings__1_-pdf/.
11 Ministry of Public Health (State of Qatar). National infection prevention and control interim guideline for COVID-19 [Internet]. Doha: Qatar; 2020 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/Documents/english/Interim%National%IPC%guidline%for%COVID-19.pdf.
12 National Department of Health (South Africa). COVID-19 disease: infection prevention and control guidelines: version 2 [Internet]. Pretoria: National Department of Health (South Africa); 2020 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ipc-guidelines-covid-19-version-2-21-may-2020.pdf.
13 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim infection prevention and control recommendations for healthcare personnel during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic [Internet]. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2022 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/hcp/infection-control-recommendations.html.
14 Zingg W, Holmes A, Dettenkofer M, Goetting T, Secci F, Clack L, et al. Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus. Lancet Infect Dis 2015;15(2):212-224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70854-0.   DOI
15 World Health Organization. Interim practical manual supporting national implementation of the WHO guidelines on core components of infection prevention and control programmes. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2017.
16 Barranco R, Vallega Bernucci Du Tremoul L, Ventura F. Hospital-acquired SARS-Cov-2 infections in patients: inevitable conditions or medical malpractice? Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18(2):489. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020489.   DOI
17 World Health Organization. Infection prevention and control during health care when coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is suspected or confirmed: interim guidance. Geneva: World Health Organization;2020.
18 World Health Organization. Guidelines on core components of infection prevention and control programmes at the national and acute health care facility level. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.
19 Clinical Excellence Commission. COVID-19 infection prevention and control manual for acute and non-acute healthcare settings [Internet]. Sydney: Clinical Excellence Commission; 2021 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.cec.health.nsw.gov.au/keep-patients-safe/COVID-19/COVID-19-IPAC-manual.
20 Jeong Y, Joo H, Bahk H, Koo H, Lee H, Kim K. A nationwide survey on the implementation of infection prevention and control components in 1442 hospitals in the Republic of Korea: comparison to the WHO Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (IPCAF). Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2022;11(1):71. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-022-01107-w.   DOI
21 Government of Canada. Infection prevention and control for COVID-19: Interim guidance for acute healthcare settings [Internet]. Ottawa (ON): Public Health Agency of Canada; 2021 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/infection-prevention-control-covid-19-second-interimguidance.html.
22 Haley RW, Culver DH, White JW, Morgan WM, Emori TG, Munn VP, et al. The efficacy of infection surveillance and control programs in preventing nosocomial infections in US hospitals. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121(2):182-205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a113990.   DOI
23 World Health Organization. 2019 Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV): strategic preparedness and response plan [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/strategic-preparednessand-response-plan-for-the-new-coronavirus.
24 Rosenthal VD, Myatra SN, Divatia JV, Biswas S, Shrivastava A, Al-Ruzzieh MA, et al. The impact of COVID-19 on health care-associated infections in intensive care units in low- and middle-income countries: International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) findings. Int J Infect Dis 2022;118:83-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2022.02.041.   DOI
25 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Infection prevention and control and preparedness for COVID-19 in healthcare settings: sixth update (9 February 2021). Stockholm: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; 2021.
26 World Health Organization. Infection prevention and control healthcare facility response for COVID-19: interim guidance. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.
27 Central Disease Control Headquarters; Central Disaster Management Headquarters. COVID-19 response manual [Internet]. 2022 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: http://ncov.mohw.go.kr/duBoardList.do?brdId=2&brdGubun=28.
28 World Health Organization. Maintaining essential health services: operational guidance for the COVID-19 context [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020 [cited 2022 May 1]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoVessential_health_services-2020.2.
29 Read JM, Green CA, Harrison EM, Docherty AB, Funk S, Harrison J, et al. Hospital-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection in the UK's first COVID-19 pandemic wave. Lancet 2021;398(10305):1037-1038. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01786-4.   DOI
30 Ponsford MJ, Ward TJ, Stoneham SM, Dallimore CM, Sham D, Osman K, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of inpatient mortality associated with nosocomial and community COVID-19 exposes the vulnerability of immunosuppressed adults. Front Immunol 2021;12:744696. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.744696.   DOI