tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Mil Med
. 2022 Dec 30;usac425.
doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac425. Online ahead of print.
Management of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Onboard a U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Amid a Global Omicron Surge
Nanda Ramchandar[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Tanner Slayden[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Jose A Garcia-Rivera[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Daniel Crouch[SUP] 2 5 [/SUP], Kia Gallagher[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], David Harris[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alison Lane[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Lawrence Ha[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Megan Halliday[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eddy Ruano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daniel Treiber[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Timothy Quast[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jeffrey Feinberg[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Introduction: We present a real-world experience of a U.S. Navy Hospital Ship deployed amid a global Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surge and the challenges of navigating policy while maintaining a mission-focused itinerary in an operational environment.
Materials and methods: We performed a chart review of SARS-CoV-2 cases from April 18 to September 20, 2022, within a closed population of fully vaccinated adults onboard the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during the 5-month 2022 Pacific Partnership mission to Guam, Vietnam, Palau, Philippines, and the Solomon Islands.
Results: There were 123 total SARS-CoV-2 cases over the course of the mission, constituting 16.6% of the total crew (123/741). No more than 14 service members were actively infected at a given time (1.9%, 14/741). The average number of active cases at any given time was 0.8 (1.9 SD, 0.1% [0.8/741]), and just 14 of these were shipboard secondary cases. No significant operational requirements of the ship were impacted by infection-related manning shortages, there were no hospitalizations, and all infected members experienced full recovery.
Conclusions: Despite ongoing cases throughout the majority of the mission, a healthy immunized crew experienced no serious cases and minimal impact on operational effectiveness.
. 2022 Dec 30;usac425.
doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac425. Online ahead of print.
Management of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Onboard a U.S. Navy Hospital Ship Amid a Global Omicron Surge
Nanda Ramchandar[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Tanner Slayden[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Jose A Garcia-Rivera[SUP] 2 4 [/SUP], Daniel Crouch[SUP] 2 5 [/SUP], Kia Gallagher[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], David Harris[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Alison Lane[SUP] 1 2 3 [/SUP], Lawrence Ha[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Megan Halliday[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Eddy Ruano[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Daniel Treiber[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Timothy Quast[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Jeffrey Feinberg[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36583720
- DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usac425
Abstract
Introduction: We present a real-world experience of a U.S. Navy Hospital Ship deployed amid a global Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surge and the challenges of navigating policy while maintaining a mission-focused itinerary in an operational environment.
Materials and methods: We performed a chart review of SARS-CoV-2 cases from April 18 to September 20, 2022, within a closed population of fully vaccinated adults onboard the USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during the 5-month 2022 Pacific Partnership mission to Guam, Vietnam, Palau, Philippines, and the Solomon Islands.
Results: There were 123 total SARS-CoV-2 cases over the course of the mission, constituting 16.6% of the total crew (123/741). No more than 14 service members were actively infected at a given time (1.9%, 14/741). The average number of active cases at any given time was 0.8 (1.9 SD, 0.1% [0.8/741]), and just 14 of these were shipboard secondary cases. No significant operational requirements of the ship were impacted by infection-related manning shortages, there were no hospitalizations, and all infected members experienced full recovery.
Conclusions: Despite ongoing cases throughout the majority of the mission, a healthy immunized crew experienced no serious cases and minimal impact on operational effectiveness.