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. 2020 Jul;41(7):772-776.
doi: 10.1017/ice.2020.185. Epub 2020 May 4.

The role of triage in the prevention and control of COVID-19

Qiaoxia Wang  1 , Xiaoping Wang  2   3 , Huanping Lin  3
Affiliations

The role of triage in the prevention and control of COVID-19

Qiaoxia Wang et al. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To prevent and control public health emergencies, we set up a prescreening and triage workflow and analyzed the effects on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Methods: In accordance with the requirements of the level 1 emergency response of public health emergencies in Shaanxi Province, China, a triage process for COVID-19 was established to guide patients through a 4-level triage process during their hospital visits. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was based on positive COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to the unified triage standards of the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (Trial version 4),4 issued by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China.

Results: The screened rate of suspected COVID-19 was 1.63% (4 of 246) in the general fever outpatient clinic and 8.28% (13 of 157) in the COVID-19 outpatient clinic, and they showed a significant difference (P = .00).

Conclusions: The triage procedure effectively screened the patients and identified the high-risk population.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Hospital environmental setting.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Flowchart of the 4-level triage system.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. The guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection (Trial version 4) [in Chinese]. National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China website. http://www.nhc.gov.cn/jkj/s3577/202002/573340613ab243b3a7f61df260551dd4.... Accessed February 7, 2020.
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