Guidelines for Infection Control and Burnout Prevention in Healthcare Workers Responding to COVID-19

Abstract

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) suffered more distress from the possibility of contracting the virus, quarantine, social stigma, and prejudice against their families. Many studies have investigated the impact of the pandemic on HCWs; however, studies or guidelines presenting strategies to overcome these challenges are lacking. As part of a 2020 research project supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, titled "Health impact assessment of healthcare workers undertaking coronavirus disease 2019 treatment and management in Korea: Identifying problems and researching effective solutions" (HC20C0003), we created guidelines to respond to serious problems posed by infection control. and burnout among HCWs during COVID-19 response measures throughout the extended pandemic period. We formulated the guidelines by means of a systematic review and collated them with the latest literature. The guidelines will highlight the gravity and impact of infection control and burnout among HCWs responding to COVID-19 and include potential prevention strategies, and they can be used as a reference in the event of another emerging infectious disease outbreak in the future.