Infrared thermography for risk reduction of nosocomial cross infections during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Renata Rodrigues Teixeira Castro,
João Giffoni da Silveira Neto,
Leonardo de Souza Moreira Alves,
Adalgiza Mafra Moreno,
Marco Orsini,
Roberta Rodrigues Teixeira de Castro
Affiliations
Renata Rodrigues Teixeira Castro
Universidade Iguaçu, Faculdade de Medicina, Nova Iguaçu, Brasil. Hospital Naval Marcílio Dias, Clínica de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Cardiologia do Esporte, Cardiologia do Esporte, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
João Giffoni da Silveira Neto
Universidade Iguaçu, Faculdade de Medicina, Nova Iguaçu, Brasil. Cardiologia do Esporte, Cardiologia do Esporte, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Leonardo de Souza Moreira Alves
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Pós-graduação em Ciências Cardiovasculares, Niterói, Brasil
Adalgiza Mafra Moreno
Universidade Iguaçu, Faculdade de Medicina, Nova Iguaçu, Brasil. Cardiologia do Esporte, Cardiologia do Esporte, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Marco Orsini
Universidade Iguaçu, Faculdade de Medicina, Nova Iguaçu, Brasil
Roberta Rodrigues Teixeira de Castro
Universidade Iguaçu, Faculdade de Medicina, Nova Iguaçu, Brasil. Cardiologia do Esporte, Cardiologia do Esporte, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Introduction: Among millions of people who may be infected with COVID-19, patients with cardiovascular and oncologic diseases exhibit the highest risks of having worse outcomes. These patients are subject to chronic disease decompensation and may be subjected to cross-infection while visiting health facilities that are taking care of COVID-19 infected patients. Objective: To present scientific evidence and propose the use of infrared thermography for the reduction of viral cross-infection in healthcare facilities. Methods: Theoretical essay Results: Previous experience in pandemic show favorable results with the use of infrared thermography identifying infected patients and reducing the possibility of cross infections. Conclusion: Infrared thermography is a radiation-free, relatively inexpensive, noncontact, and noninvasive technology that could be used for mass-screening of patients and visitors with fever, especially in services where patients with cardiovascular disease seek for medical care, reducing the risk of cross-infection.
