Last updated on January 4th, 2022 at 03:33 pm
The number of patients testing positive for COVID-19 continues to increase across our hospitals.
Staff should continue to follow all PPE and social distancing guidelines and ensure that we continue to protect our patients and each other.
Please remember to check the Staff Covid Website (password STHKcovid19) for all the latest Covid related guidance and information.
In today’s update:
- SELF-ISOLATION PROCEDURES FOR NHS STAFF
- SAFETY MEASURES – PPE, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND VISITING RESTRICTIONS
- ROUTINE ANTIBODY TESTING FOR ALL HOSPITALISED COVID-19 POSITIVE PATIENTS – PILOT STUDY
SELF-ISOLATION PROCEDURES FOR NHS STAFF
You will have seen recent media coverage regarding NHS staff and the need to self-isolate. Please see below update.
NHS Test and Trace/ NHS COVID-19 app – if a member of staff is contacted by the either the NHS Test and Trace service (via phone/email/email) or the NHS COVID-19 app to inform them that they have been in close contact with a known COVID-19 case, then they must inform their line manager as soon as possible providing evidence of their notification to isolate.
The line manager MUST complete a self-isolation form (password: STHKcovid19) and refer the staff member to the Self-isolation Team who will then complete a risk assessment to assess whether the staff member needs to isolate.
The Self-isolation Team will inform the staff member and line manager if they can return to work with the correct safety measures in place.
Until the risk assessment has been completed, the member of staff should continue to self-isolate.
For more information, please visit the COVID staff website (password: STHKcovid19): https://covid.sthk.nhs.uk/self-isolation-guidance/
SAFETY MEASURES – PPE, SOCIAL DISTANCING AND VISITING RESTRICTIONS
It is Trust policy that ALL staff MUST wear the appropriate PPE in ALL clinical and non-clinical settings. Any breach in Trust policy may result in disciplinary action
Staff Safety Measures for ALL staff
- It is critical that staff continue to wear the correct PPE in ALL clinical and non-clinical settings, including office areas, and when transferring patients within and outside of the hospitals.
- Surgical face masks (covering noses and mouths) MUST be worn in all public areas and in any area where social distancing is not possible.
- Continue to stay 2m apart
- Continue to wash/sanitise hands frequently, especially when entering sites and clinical areas/wards
- Continue to work from home where possible
- Continue to meet virtually on Microsoft Teams, with face-to-face meetings only taking place where it is possible to maintain social distance between participants
- Continue to change into uniform when you arrive at work and change before leaving to go home (see changing facilities below). Where it is not possible to change at work, which may include those staff who do not have access to changing facilities or those that work in community, clinical uniform must be covered and staff should return directly to their home following completion of their shift changing out of their uniform, before entering a public area
- Continue to keep your working area clean and wipe shared equipment down at least twice a day
- Continue to avoid car sharing when travelling to and from work
Patient Safety Measures
Patients are required to:
- Continue to wear fluid resistant face masks
- Continue to wash/sanitise hands frequently
- Continue to maintain 2m social distancing
Visiting Restrictions
Hospital visiting remains suspended except for patients receiving end of life care, visiting for patients with mental health issues such as dementia or other disabilities, maternity visiting and visiting children.
ROUTINE ANTIBODY TESTING FOR ALL HOSPITALISED COVID-19 POSITIVE PATIENTS – PILOT STUDY
Evidence is emerging that some Covid-19 therapies may be differentially effective for patients who test seronegative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (i.e. those who have not mounted a meaningful antibody response, despite vaccination and/or exposure).
A recent study shows a reduction in mortality for seronegative patients treated with REGEN-COV neutralising monoclonal antibody (nMAB) combination therapy in a hospital setting.
To inform future decisions on nMABs as a potential Covid-19 therapy in hospital settings we have introduced routine antibody testing for ALL Covid positive patients as part of a pilot study.
Antibody testing should be performed on the day a patient is identified as COVID positive by PCR. The test is requestable via Medway as: Covid antibody testing – SARS-CoV-2 positive inpatient
The test is available 7 days a week and results will be reported within 24 hrs.