1. Preoperative screening of asymptomatic patients for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Netherlands
The logistical and financial implications of testing a large number of patients has been weighted against the devastating effects👇of an unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infection.
2. The formal policy of the Dutch government to consider reinstating measures, to decrease the effects of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, is set at a national average of 40 COVID-19 hospital admissions per day for a minimum of 3 consecutive days.
3. Exactly, this threshold of 40 COVID-19 hospital admissions per day for a minimum of 3 consecutive days, has been deemed appropriate as the limit below which PCR testing is not logistically and financially feasible.
4. This seems to be a rather arbitrary threshold. The risk of transmission to other patients has been considered an unknown risk factor. The risk for health care workers has been acknowledged, however this risk has not been quantified.
5. Nevertheless, the preliminary results from the prospective SCOUT study seem to have been the decider for this threshold. This study found that 1-2% of the preoperative patients reporting no symptoms were found positive in SARS-CoV-2 PCR screening.
6. How exactly the logistical and financial feasibility of screening a large number of patients has been weighted against the devastating effects of an unrecognized SARS-CoV-2 infection remains rather elusive.
Source: demedischspecialist.nl/sites/default/…
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