This post contains no further mention of COVID-19! I need a break from the mayhem.
I read with interest this report, published in Infection Control and Hosital Epidemiology, on the efficacy of a wearable UVC device for semi- automated decontamination of stethoscopes between use. The disinfection cycle of the stethoscope takes approximately 3 minutes.
Stethoscopes are potential fomites. The proportional impact of stethoscopes on healthcare associated infections (HAIs) remains unknown. A wearable UVC device may indeed decrease stethoscope bioburden yet doing so may not largely impact HAIs. The idea is certainly novel yet may be costly when implemented to scale.
At present, I prefer my rapid stethoscope disinfection with an alcohol wipe, a practice which is both cheap and simple.
