made for performing nasal decolonization on all patients in the era of
COVID-19. With the coronavirus's extremely high rate of asympto-
matic patients, facilities should treat every patient as a carrier of
COVID-19. Because the coronavirus is effectively inactivated through
just a brief exposure to agents such as isopropyl alcohol, chlorhexi-
dine and low concentrations of povidone-iodine (like the formulation
Dr. O'Neill uses), it makes sense to take the extra step to swab
patients' nares, which takes only minutes to complete, before all elec-
tive procedures. Although there is no direct link between nasal decol-
onization and a reduction in viral transmission, patient decolonization
can be part of a multifaceted infection control program built on evi-
dence-based strategies.
J U N E 2 0 2 0 • O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T • 5 9
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