Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare, both in St Louis, conducted active surveillance at a long-term care facility. They conducted surveillance from December 2015 through April 2016 for respiratory viral infections among patients and healthcare providers.
Of the 76 providers and 105 patients included in the study, 18 providers and four patients reported acute respiratory illnesses. Sixteen, or 89 percent, of those providers who reported an illness, said they worked while they were ill despite the facility’s policy against working while sick.
However, study authors note that the findings of the study might not be generalizable, since the study was conducted on a small scale at one long-term care facility, which includes a highly vaccinated staff population. Also, the study was conducted during a mild respiratory virus season.
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