2022 Volume 59 Issue 5 Pages 407-412
<Background> Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause severe problems for pediatric patients with cancer. Moreover, clustering of medical staff members and patients in a hospital increases infection rates and induces medical system collapse. Therefore, strict infection control measures are needed. Here, we report our experience with COVID-19 infection control in a pediatric oncology ward.
<Results> In March 2021, a nurse from our ward developed COVID-19. All the other 39 staff members and 18 patients in the ward were negative for sudden acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 as determined by the polymerase chain reaction test. We classified the exposure risk of the patients and staff members. All patients were divided according to their separation degree and restricted to their rooms. We introduced web-based visits and restricted family visits. All patients continued their therapy except for one, who postponed the therapy for one week; none of the patients required special treatment for their disease or psychological support. However, their families were quite anxious. Eight nurses stayed home. The remaining staff members were confused and tired from treating patients, attending to their families, and performing trivial duties. No secondary COVID-19 cases occurred. After two weeks, all restrictions were lifted.
<Conclusion> Our infection control protocol enabled the continuation of planned therapies, and no psychological effects of the restriction were detected among our patients. Conversely, the families were severely stressed, while the medical staff members were confused and tired. In such situations, it is important to continue family visits, announce restrictions in advance, and safeguard staff against disease exposure.
