Association Between Children's Hospital Visitor Restrictions and Healthcare-Associated Viral Respiratory Infections: A Quasi-Experimental Study

J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020 Apr 30;9(2):240-243. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piz023.

Abstract

We investigated the effect of annual winter visitor restrictions on hospital respiratory virus transmission. The healthcare-associated (HA) viral respiratory infection (VRI) transmission index (number of HA VRIs per 100 inpatient community-associated VRIs) was 59% lower during the months in which visitor restrictions were implemented. These data prompt consideration for instituting year-round visitor restrictions.

Keywords: enterovirus; healthcare-associated infection; respiratory virus; rhinovirus; visitors.

MeSH terms

  • Chicago
  • Child
  • Cross Infection / epidemiology
  • Cross Infection / prevention & control*
  • Cross Infection / transmission
  • Hospital Administration
  • Hospitals, Pediatric / organization & administration*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Inpatients
  • Organizational Policy*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / epidemiology
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / transmission*
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Seasons
  • Visitors to Patients*