One Bromley, Global House, Hayes, Kent, United Kingdom.
Bromleag Care Practice, Kelsey Park Farmhouse, Beckenham Beacon Hospital, Beckenham, Kent, United Kingdom.
J Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 13;223(3):381-388. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa565.
Care homes have experienced a high number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related deaths among residents since the onset of the pandemic. However, up to May 2020, there has been a lack of information about the extent of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among residents and staff in care homes and limited testing in this setting.
Combined nose and throat swab testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA was carried out in 2455 residents and staff across 37 care homes in the London Borough of Bromley across a 3-week period. Results were reported within 24 hours of sample delivery, and data were collected on the presence or absence of symptoms.
Overall, the point prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 6.5%, with a higher rate in residents (9.0%) than in staff (4.7%). A key finding was the high proportion of asymptomatic infection detected in staff (69%) and residents (51%), with evidence of underdetection of symptoms by care home staff.
The high proportion of asymptomatic infection combined with underdetection of symptoms by care home staff indicates that offering a test to all residents and staff in care homes with rapid reporting of results would assist accurate identification of infected individuals, facilitating prompt infection prevention and control action.
自大流行开始以来，护理院的居民中有大量与 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）相关的死亡病例。然而，截至 2020 年 5 月，有关护理院居民和工作人员中严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）感染程度的信息有限，并且在这种环境下的检测有限。
在伦敦布罗姆利自治市镇的 37 家护理院中，对 2455 名居民和工作人员进行了为期 3 周的联合鼻咽拭子 SARS-CoV-2 RNA 检测。在样本送达后的 24 小时内报告结果，并收集有关症状存在或不存在的数据。
总体而言，SARS-CoV-2 感染的时点患病率为 6.5%，居民（9.0%）的患病率高于工作人员（4.7%）。一个主要发现是工作人员（69%）和居民（51%）中无症状感染的比例很高，护理院工作人员对症状的检测不足。
无症状感染的比例很高，加上护理院工作人员对症状的检测不足，表明向所有护理院居民和工作人员提供检测，并快速报告结果，将有助于准确识别感染者，及时采取感染预防和控制措施。
