UK Study: Patients, not staff, source of most hospital COVID spread

Study: Patients, not staff, source of most hospital COVID spread Also, 21% of patients caused 80% of infections, UK researchers find. CIDRAP

Most hospital patients diagnosed as having COVID-19 contracted the virus from other patients rather than healthcare workers (HCWs), with 21% of patients causing 80% of cases, finds a UK study today in eLife.  ...

The fact that the vast majority of infections were between patients suggests that measures taken by hospital staff to prevent staff transmitting the virus to patients, such as the wearing of masks, were likely to have been effective," co-lead author Christopher Illingworth, PhD, said in the release. "But it also highlights why it is important that patients themselves are screened for COVID-19 regularly, even if asymptomatic, and wear face masks where possible." ...