Questions we have answered

Question

Can the below tests be administered via telepractice?

• Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration
• Detailed assessment of speed of handwriting (DASH)

Answer

Yes, both Beery and the DASH have publisher recommendations for administration via telepractice. Detailed instructions for the DASH can be found here and detailed instructions for the Beery can be found here.

Both tests are published by Pearson. The DASH telepractice information is available on the Pearson UK website but it does not appear on their US website. For the Beery, vice versa, the telepractice information is available on the Pearson US website and does not appear on their UK website.

Question

What is the impact on return to work for patients with COVID-19 who have been hospitalised?

Short Answer

In Ireland, 3,676 people have been hospitalised because of COVID-19. There is no information on the consequent work status of these individuals. This is also the case on the global stage. There are indications from small scale studies and research on similar diseases (SARS & MERS) that some individuals hospitalised with COVID-19 will experience delayed return to work. Fatigue and breathlessness are the most common post-discharge symptoms. Scientists and professional bodies are calling for occupational therapists and other allied health professionals to prepare for the surge in demand for services but more research is needed to determine the long-term consequences of a COVID-19 hospitalisation and its impact on return to work.

The content of this document is correct as of 08/10/2020.

Question

1.What is current guidance for cleaning a room after a hands-on physiotherapy session?

2.What are the current recommended products for effectively cleaning surfaces?

3.Do I have to wait a certain amount of time to clean my treatment room after a session?

Short answer

1.Clean with detergent and water followed by rinsing and drying. If a surface is suspected or known to have been contaminated by infectious material a disinfected should be used after cleaning.

2.A neutral detergent with water for cleaning and a chlorine-based product, such as sodium hypochlorite, for disinfecting.

3.HSPC cleaning protocols do not stipulate that a certain amount of time should be left between seeing a patient and cleaning. HSPC guidelines state that COVID-19 virus droplets produced by an infected patient will land on surfaces “within minutes” of production. They do not state how many minutes precisely. Research has found that large droplets fall within 1 second while smaller droplets can take up to 9 minutes to fall to the ground.

The content of this answer is correct as of 02/10/2020

QUESTION

Do I need to wear a mask if maintaining a 2m distance in a treatment room while delivering face-to-face CBT in Primary Care?

Short answer

The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has recommended that healthcare workers use a surgical mask for all patient care activities when a safe distance (2m) cannot be maintained. This implies that when a 2m distance can be maintained a mask is not necessary. However, the NPHET guidance does not state this explicitly and does not address the issues of room size/occupancy or duration of contact. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control considers maintaining a 2m distance in a closed environment, such as a treatment room, as low-risk for exposure to COVID-19. The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre state that in low-risk circumstances, where wearing a mask may impact on patient care, a clear face visor is an acceptable alternative.

The content of this document is correct as of 30/09/2020.

These documents were used to answer this question:

1. Health Protection Surveillance Centre (2020). Interim Guidance on Infection Prevention and Control for the Health Service Executive 2020 v1.2. HSE: September 2020.
2. Health Protection Surveillance Centre (2020). Guiding principles for Infection Prevention and Control when returning to routine General Practice during pandemic COVID-19 v2.1. HSE: July 2020.
3. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (2020). Public health management of persons having had contact with cases of novel coronavirus in the European Union. ECDC: February 2020.

Dr Liz Kingston, member of the RapidInfo4U Panel of Experienced Clinicians and Lecturer at the University of Limerick, with a clinical speciality in infection prevention and control, was consulted to answer this question.

Question

1.Can a Classroom Feeding Observation for Dysphagia take place within a Pod? 

2.When conducting a Classroom Feeding Observation for Dysphagia do parents of children in the same Pod as the patient need to be informed of, and consent to, the observation?

Short answer

1.Yes, assuming local and national COVID-19 guidelines are followed including PPE and social distancing, a Classroom Feeding Observation for Dysphagia can take place within a Pod.

2.Yes, assuming local and national COVID-19 guidelines are followed including PPE and social distancing, a Classroom Feeding Observation for Dysphagia can take place within a Pod.

The content of this document is correct as of 18/09/2020.

This response was based on the Department of Education COVID-19 Response Plan for Reopening our Primary and Special Schools, version 2, published in August 2020. Access this document here.

Is there sufficient evidence to warrant a change in the established position (i.e. NICE guidelines of June 2020) regarding vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19?

Short answer: No

The content of this document is correct as of 17/09/2020.