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oa Sliding Doors During COVID-19: Choose the Right One!
- Source: Journal of Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Acute Care, Volume 2020, Issue 2, Jan 2021, 8
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- 10 August 2020
- 26 October 2020
- 19 November 2020
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Abstract
The need to resume scheduled hospital activities requires accurate screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome–Coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS–COVID-19) represented by real-time polymerase chain reaction on the nasal swab for each patient admitted. In order to prevent cross-contamination, we propose a model in which only two entry points are available: one for the urgent/emergent pathway and the other for all patients needing scheduled admission. If the patient needs emergent procedure and the swab test is not yet available, it will be viewed as a positive COVID-19 test. The hospital should be divided into two different areas: a green zone for negative-test patients and a blue zone for positive or undetermined patients in need of urgent care.