2022-001219
- Date of request
- 16 March 2022
- Date of response
- 04 April 2022
- FOI request ID
- 2022-001219
- Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Request
I would be grateful if you could provide electronic copies [to this email address] of all documents, briefing papers, emails, presentations and any peer reviewed journal / preprint manuscript data used to support / inform changes in Health Protection Scotland infection prevention and control guidance content dated 5th and 10th March 2020 as described below, please.
- Regarding Health Protection Scotland document dated 5th March 2020 Infection prevention and control advice for acute care settings: Acute respiratory illness from novel or emerging pathogens (coronavirus (COVID-19), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Avian influenza (e.g. A/H7N9, A/H5N1) Version 8.1 (https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/media/1950/infection-control-acute-care-v81.pdf), and 10th March 2020 Infection prevention and control advice for acute care settings Acute respiratory illness from novel or emerging pathogens (Coronavirus (COVID-19) Version 9.0 (https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/media/1951/infection-control-acute-care-v90.pdf):
Version 8.1 published 5th March 2020 [page 3] states:
‘The current situation necessitates that clinicians have a high index of suspicion for possible COVID-19, in patients presenting with acute respiratory illness.
(For HPS case management algorithms and other documentation refer to: coronavirus (COVID-19) webpages).
COVID-19 is currently classified as a High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCID) spread by respiratory droplets in addition to contact routes and require airborne precautions.’
Version 9.0 published 10th March 2020 in this same section [now page 4] is stated:
‘The current situation necessitates that clinicians have a high index of suspicion for possible COVID-19, in patients presenting with acute respiratory illness.
(For HPS case management algorithms and other documentation refer to: coronavirus (COVID-19) webpages).
COVID-19 is currently classified as a High Consequence Infectious Diseases (HCID) spread by respiratory droplets in addition to contact routes and require airborne precautions when in a High Risk AGP hot spot1 or when undertaking Aerosol Generating Procedures.’
My request: Changes are indicated in bold italics. Please could you provide electronic copies of all documents, briefing papers, emails, presentations and any peer reviewed journal / preprint manuscript data used to support / inform this change of text? Thank you.
- Version 8.1 published 5th March 2020, page 3:
Section ‘1. General Information’ states: ‘This document outlines the infection prevention and control advice for healthcare workers who may be involved in receiving, assessing and caring for patients, within acute healthcare settings, who are a possible or confirmed case. If a contact of a confirmed case develops a respiratory illness and is hospitalised, then this guidance should be followed until results of testing are available.
The precautionary principle should be applied for all novel or emerging respiratory pathogens of high consequence when the mode of transmission is incompletely determined. Airborne precautions (including the use of correctly fitted FFP3 respirators) should be applied for all patients admitted with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.’
Version 9.0 published 10th March 2020 [now page 4] is stated:
Section ‘1. General Information’ states: ‘This document outlines the infection prevention and control advice for healthcare workers who may be involved in receiving, assessing and caring for patients, within acute healthcare settings, who are a possible or confirmed case. If a contact of a confirmed case develops a respiratory illness and is hospitalised, then this guidance should be followed until results of testing are available.’
Precautionary principle paragraph omitted.
My request: Change indicated in bold italics. Please could you provide electronic copies of all documents, briefing papers, emails, presentations and any peer reviewed journal / preprint manuscript data used to support / inform this change of text?