{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,8]],"date-time":"2026-06-08T00:41:18Z","timestamp":1780879278238,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,3]],"date-time":"2021-02-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1612310400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:bold>Objective:<\/jats:bold> COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Preventing in-hospital infections is crucial to protect patients and hospital staff.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold> At the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German Heart Center initiated obligatory wearing of surgical face masks for patients and employees, SARS-CoV-2 screening for all patients, and symptom-based testing for employees. In addition, access restriction, closure of outpatient departments, and postponing non-urgent procedures were implemented with community-initiated regulations.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold> During the observation period (03\/16\/2020\u201304\/27\/2020), 1,128 SARS-CoV-2 tests were performed in 983 persons (1.1 tests\/person; 589 in patients and 394 in hospital employees). Up to 60% of the clinical workforce was tested based on symptoms and risk (62.5% symptoms, 19.3% direct or indirect contact to known COVID-19, 4.5% returnee from risk area, 13.7% without specific reason). Patient testing for SARS-CoV-2 was obligatory (100% tested). The overall prevalence of positive tests during the observation period was 0.4% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic> = 5 out of 1,128 tests performed). The incidence of new infections with SARS-CoV-2 was 0.5% (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic> = 5 out of 983 individuals; three healthcare workers, two patients). No nosocominal infections occurred, despite a mean number of 14.8 in-hospital contacts.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusion:<\/jats:bold> Comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 testing and surgical face masks for patients and hospital staff, in addition to others measures, are key factors for the early detection of COVID-19 and to prevent spreading in the vulnerable hospital population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2020.616648","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,2,3]],"date-time":"2021-02-03T04:25:06Z","timestamp":1612326306000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Preventing SARS-CoV-2 In-Hospital Infections in Cardiovascular Patients and Medical Staff: An Observational Study From the German Heart Center 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