SARS-CoV-2 Epidemics in Retirement and Nursing Homes in Italy: A New Preparedness Assessment Model after the First Epidemic Wave.

Carmelo Gugliotta,Davide Gentili,Sabina Bellu,Antonio Azara,Maria Giuseppina Desole,Pietro Paolo Muglia,Paolo Castiglia,Marco Dettori,Marcello Acciaro,Silvia Marras

doi:10.3390/ijerph18115712

Abstract

The aim of the study is to evaluate the preparedness of retirement and nursing homes in the city of Sassari at the end of the first wave of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic, first by investigating the risk perception of epidemic outbreaks by the facility managers and subsequently by carrying out a field assessment of these facilities. To perform the field assessment, a checklist developed by the CDC (Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Tool for Nursing Homes Preparing for COVID-19) and adapted to the Italian context was used. Fourteen facilities took part in the survey (87.5%). The application of good practices for each survey area was expressed as a percentage with the following median values: restriction policies (87.5%), staff training (53.8%), resident training (67.6%), availability of personal protective equipment (41.7%), infection control practices (73.5%) and communication (80%). Among the facilities, considerable variability was observed in these evaluation fields: only the restriction policies and communication activities were applied uniformly. A discrepancy was found between perceived risk and real danger in the facilities, requiring targeted communication actions. At present, it is necessary to promote a new approach based on the prediction of critical events, thereby providing the means to effectively address them.

Highlights

Was the first European country to be severely affected by the coronavirus disease19 (COVID-19) pandemic
Regarding the knowledge related to SARS-CoV-2 and infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, we found that only six facilities had carried out specific training and, in most cases, this was attended by the facility staff on a voluntary basis
This study highlights how important it is for health authorities to acquire knowledge about risk perception among a population during an epidemic event, and compare it with the real hazard, so as to design a more effective public health response

Summary

Introduction

Was the first European country to be severely affected by the coronavirus disease19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Was the first European country to be severely affected by the coronavirus disease. According to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) and the Italian National. Pandemics affect a large proportion of the population and require a multisectoral response spanning months or even years. Preparedness for such an event is a continuous process of planning, exercising, revising and translating into action national and subnational response plans [4]. According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health. Organization, the term ‘preparedness’ refers to the ability of governments, professional response organizations, communities and individuals to anticipate and respond effectively to the impact of likely, imminent or current hazards, events or conditions.

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