Cheung Stephanie S L, Wong Cherie Y K, Chan Jason C K, Chan Carmen K M, Lam N M, Yuen Hunter K L, Wong Victoria W Y, Tsang Chi Wai, Tham Clement C Y
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Int J Ophthalmol. 2020 Jun 18;13(6):851-859. doi: 10.18240/ijo.2020.06.01. eCollection 2020.
To review international guidelines and to share our infection control experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at a tertiary eye centre in Hong Kong.
Infection control guidelines and recommendations from international ophthalmological bodies are reviewed and discussed. The measures at our hospital were drawn up as per international and local health authorities' guidelines and implemented with the collaboration of doctors, nurses and administrative staff.
The aims of our infection control measures are to 1) minimize cross-infection within the hospital; 2) protect and support hospital staff; 3) ensure environmental control. To minimize the risk of cross-infection, outpatient attendance and elective surgery have been reduced by 40%, and general anesthesia procedures were reduced by 90%. Patients entering the hospital are screened for fever, travel history, contact and cluster history, and COVID-19 related symptoms. To protect and support hospital staff, we ensure provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and provide clear guidelines on the level of PPE needed, depending on the clinical situation. Other protective measures include provision of work uniforms, easy access to alcohol-based hand rub, opening new lunch areas, implementation of self-monitoring and self-reporting systems, and communication online education and updates. Finally, environmental control is achieved by ensuring regular disinfection of the hospital premise, enhancing ventilation, and usage of disposable ophthalmic instruments.
Our multi-pronged approach to infection control is, so far, successful in minimizing infection risks, while allowing the maintenance of essential ophthalmic services.
回顾国际指南，并分享香港一家三级眼科中心在2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间的感染控制经验。
对国际眼科机构的感染控制指南和建议进行回顾和讨论。我院的措施是根据国际和当地卫生当局的指南制定的，并在医生、护士和行政人员的协作下实施。
我们感染控制措施的目标是：1）尽量减少医院内的交叉感染；2）保护和支持医院工作人员；3）确保环境控制。为尽量减少交叉感染风险，门诊就诊人数和择期手术减少了40%，全身麻醉手术减少了90%。入院患者需接受发热、旅行史、接触史和聚集史以及COVID-19相关症状的筛查。为保护和支持医院工作人员，我们确保提供充足的个人防护装备（PPE），并根据临床情况提供所需PPE级别的明确指南。其他保护措施包括提供工作服、方便使用含酒精的洗手液、开设新的午餐区、实施自我监测和自我报告系统，以及开展在线教育和信息更新。最后，通过确保定期对医院场所进行消毒、加强通风以及使用一次性眼科器械来实现环境控制。
我们多管齐下的感染控制方法目前在最大限度降低感染风险的同时，成功维持了基本的眼科服务。
