Tasks of COVID-19 prevention and control management teams at primary health care facilities in mainland China: a nationwide online cross-sectional survey
Authors: Yan Yun-yun , Ge Jian-li , Fan Teng-yang , Wang Hai-tang , Gu Yan-feng , Xiao Xue , Du Zhao-hui , Sun Xiao-ming 
Published: May 2022

Background

This research aimed to investigate the tasks performed by Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19) prevention and control management teams at primary healthcare (PHC) facilities during COVID-19 pandemic across the mainland China.

Methods

An online survey was performed and COVID-19 prevention and control management teams at PHC facilities were invited to participate in this research. The top 7 most important tasks in the three different periods of COVID-19 containment were selected and ranked. Participations of tasks were surveyed.

Results

A total of 998 valid responses (an effective rate of 99.11%) were collected. The respondents were divided into Group A (≤5 respondents within each PHC facility, n1 = 718) and Group B (> 5 respondents within each PHC facility, n2 = 280). The consensus was selected from top 7 most important tasks including screening at travel centers/intervals and screening at entry centers, at-home/centralized quarantine management, transferring, pre-examination/triage and fever sentinel surveillance clinic/fever clinic. Pre-examination/triage and fever sentinel surveillance clinic/fever clinic works became more significant in the regular prevention and control period. Adjusted analysis found that team members of Group A with a college, undergraduate college and graduate school educational background were less involved in pre-examination/triage works (aOR: 0.28; 95%CI: 0.09-0.86,P = 0.026; aOR: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.10-0.90,P = 0.031; aOR: 0.21; 95%CI: 0.05-0.82,P = 0.024). Those who were over the median age were twice more likely to be engaged in managing fever sentinel surveillance of clinic/fever clinic visitors (aOR: 2.18; 95%CI: 1.16-4.08,P = 0.015). Those being specialized in nursing and other specialties were less likely to participate in fever sentinel surveillance of clinic/fever clinic works (aOR: 0.44; 95%CI: 0.24-0.81,P = 0.009; aOR: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.16-0.58,P < 0.001). Those came from central and western China were less likely to participate in centralized quarantine management (aOR: 0.61; 95%CI: 0.38-0.98,P = 0.042; aOR: 0.64; 95%CI: 0.42-0.97,P = 0.037). Team members came from central and western China were twice less likely to participate in screening at travel centers/intervals (aOR: 1.75; 95%CI: 1.14-2.70,P = 0.011; aOR: 1.63; 95%CI: 1.07-2.48,P = 0.024).

Conclusion

In mainland China, team members of COVID-19 prevention and control at PHC facilities are mainly responsible for screening, quarantine, transferring and monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-examination/triage and the fever sentinel surveillance clinic/fever clinic were gradually valued. Team members with lower educational background are competent in pre-examination/triage works, but more experienced general practitioners are more likely to be in charge of fever sentinel surveillance clinic/fever clinics work. The necessity of COVID-19 prevention and control management teams to participate in screening at travel centers/intervals is subjected to further discussions.