Searching for SARS-CoV 2 in Personal Protective Equipment in Physicians in a University Hospital

Objective: To assess the extent of surface contamination PPE doctors (personal protective equipment) with SARS-CoV-2, immediately after evaluating ill patients.

COVID-19 is a recently emerging disease, in which much scientific information is being generated, but in which there are few certainties. This is due to work of poor methodological quality, but also due to the fact that it is a recent infection, which has only been developing for a few months. Given that most cases of infection in health personnel in the workplace come from contamination with personal protective equipment, it is necessary to determine there is any degree of contamination of PPE by the virus, as the critical areas where it can be located in the PPE as well. That is why this investigation, when trying to determine the location and degree of contamination of PPE by COVID-19, will allow the implementation of exhaustive care that leads to greater care for health personnel.

Target population: patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 in patients admitted to a service in the General Ward and Intensive Care Unit or Coronary Unit of a University Hospital of C.A.B.A- (Argentina) Accessible population of adults patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted to the CN / Intensive Care Unit / Coronary Unit, while the research is in progress.

Population Definition Criteria: PPE of medical personnel in contact with hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 positive swab, hospitalized in CM / UTI / UC wards.

Inclusion Criteria: Samples of personal protective equipment of health personnel who have been in contact with patients with positive viral RNA results in RT-real time PCR (rtPCR +) test for SARS-CoV-2 will be used.