COVID-19 in long-term care facilities for the elderly: laboratory screening and disease dissemination prevention strategies

Abstract

An infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has unveiled a hitherto hidden reality: the vulnerability of the population living in long-term care facilities for the elderly (LTCF). To date, several scientific publications have revealed a concentration of up to 60% of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in such institutions. Most LTFC residents share the primary risk factors currently associated with increased morbimortality due to the COVID-19 infection. It is crucial to define actions to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread in this environment, besides the usual measures of social distancing and isolation of the carriers of this disease. This paper proposes strategies for the investigation of this infection in LTCF residents and workers using laboratory tests available in Brazil. The early identification of individuals with SARS-CoV-2, who may actively and continuously spread the virus, allows adopting measures aimed at interrupting the local transmission cycle of this infection.