Wee Liang En, Conceicao Edwin Philip, Foo Mabel Zhi Qi, Sim Jean Xiang Ying, Cheong Hau Yiang, Ko Karrie Kwan Ki, Chan Darius Yak Weng, Aung May Kyawt, Aung Myat Oo, Arora Shalvi, Yang Yong, Lee Lai Chee, Wong Crystal Shie Lyeen, Ling Moi Lin, Venkatachalam Indumathi
Department of Infection Prevention and Epidemiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore.
Department of Infectious Diseases, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Am J Infect Control. 2025 Jul;53(7):773-777. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2025.04.009. Epub 2025 Apr 24.
While introduction of universal masking was associated with significant declines in health care-associated-respiratory-viral-infections (HA-RVI), subsequent studies have shown mixed results. We sought to evaluate the impact on HA-RVI when masking was continued in the postpandemic period.
Observational study in 2 Singaporean hospitals from January 1, 2016 to April 30, 2024. Prepandemic, masking (surgical masks) was only practiced in high-risk wards. During the pandemic, masking was made mandatory hospital-wide, together with other extensive mitigation measures; in the postpandemic phase, other mitigation measures were stood-down but masking in hospitals was continued. Interrupted time-series analysis was utilized to compare trends in HA-RVI.
During the pandemic, HA-RVI fell to near-zero. In the postpandemic phase, when other mitigation measures were stood-down but masking in hospitals was continued, HA-RVI rebounded. Time-series analysis showed immediate decrease in HA-RVI following imposition of universal masking, together with other mitigation measures during the pandemic; postpandemic, there was both an immediate increase in HA-RVI, as well as a significant increase in the trend of HA-RVI over time, despite continuation of masking.
HA-RVI rebounded in the postpandemic period after other mitigation measures were stood-down, even whilst masking continued in hospitals.
虽然普遍佩戴口罩与医疗保健相关呼吸道病毒感染（HA-RVI）的显著下降有关，但后续研究结果不一。我们试图评估在疫情后阶段继续佩戴口罩对HA-RVI的影响。
对新加坡两家医院在2016年1月1日至2024年4月30日期间进行观察性研究。在疫情前，仅在高风险病房佩戴口罩（外科口罩）。在疫情期间，医院范围内强制佩戴口罩，并采取了其他广泛的缓解措施；在疫情后阶段，其他缓解措施取消，但医院内仍继续佩戴口罩。采用中断时间序列分析来比较HA-RVI的趋势。
在疫情期间，HA-RVI降至接近零。在疫情后阶段，当其他缓解措施取消但医院内仍继续佩戴口罩时，HA-RVI反弹。时间序列分析显示，在疫情期间实施普遍佩戴口罩及其他缓解措施后，HA-RVI立即下降；在疫情后，尽管继续佩戴口罩，HA-RVI立即上升，且随着时间推移HA-RVI趋势显著增加。
在其他缓解措施取消后的疫情后阶段，HA-RVI出现反弹，即使医院内仍继续佩戴口罩。
