A Prospective Clinical Evaluation of a Patient Isolation Hood During the COVID-19 Pandemic

McGain, F.; Bates, S.; Lee, J. H.; Timms, P.; Kainer, M.; French, C.; Monty, J.

Background: Healthcare workers have frequently become infected with SARS-CoV-2 whilst treating patients with COVID-19. A variety of novel devices have been proposed to reduce COVID-19 cross contamination. Objective: To test whether a novel patient isolation hood was safe and comfortable, and could potentially reduce HCW COVID-19 infections. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 20 patients, entailing staff/patient questionnaires, and safety aspects of prototype isolation hoods. Prospective collection of HCW COVID-19 data. Assessment of isolation hood safety and practicality, and adverse event reporting. Outcome Measures: Questionnaires responses, adverse events reporting, rates of HCW infections during study period (20/6/2020 - 21/7/2020). HCW COVID-19 infections reported until last recorded HCW COVID-19 diagnosis (20/6/2020 - 27/9/2020). Results: Of the 60 (of 64) eligible individual staff surveys, 60 favoured isolation hood use. Staff were unanimous in: perceiving the hood as safe (60/60), preferring its use (56/56), and understanding its potential COVID-19 cross-contamination minimisation (60/60). All eight patients who completed the questionnaire thought the isolation hood helped prevent COVID-19 cross-infection, was safe, and comfortable. There were no reported patient safety adverse events. The overall attack COVID-19 attack rate from 20/6/2020-27/9/2020 among registered nurses was 3.4% (102/2994): ICUs 2.2% (3/138), Geriatric wards 13.2% (26/197), and COVID-19 Wards 18.3% (32/175). The COVID-19 attack rate among medical staff was: all junior medical staff 2.1% (24/932), senior medical staff 0.7% (4/607), aged care/rehabilitation 6.7% (2/30), and ICU all medical staff 8.6% (3/35). Conclusions: The isolation hood was strongly endorsed by staff and patients, and post-study became part of standard ICU therapy. ICU nurse COVID-19 infection rates were low. ICU HCWs feel safer when treating patients with COVID-19 using an isolation hood.