Availability of Personal Protective Equipment and Infection Prevention Supplies During the First Month of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Study by the APIC COVID-19 Task Force

Rebmann, Terri; Vassallo, Angela; Holdsworth, Jill E.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease was first discovered in China in December, 2019. The disease quickly spread globally, with the first U.S. case identified in January, 2020; it was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Soon after, anecdotal reports indicated that many US hospitals and healthcare facilities were running low on personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies. METHODS: An online survey was administered to all Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology members in March, 2020 to assess access to PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies. RESULTS: In all, 1,201 infection preventionists participated. Participants reported running a bit low to almost being out of all PPE types. More had sufficient gloves (63.4%) compared to all other PPE types (p < .001 for all). Face shields and N95 respirators were the least available (13.6% and 18.2% had sufficient supplies, respectively; p < .001 for all). Many (66.9%) had sufficient hand soap, but far fewer had sufficient hand sanitizer (29.5%, X(2)=211.1, p < .001). Less than half (45.4%, n=545) had sufficient disinfection supplies. CONCLUSIONS: Many US healthcare facilities had very low amounts of PPE, hand hygiene products, and disinfection supplies early on during the pandemic. A lack of these supplies can lead to occupational exposures and illness as well as healthcare-associated transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases.