Examining Common Characteristics among Healthcare Personnel Positive for COVID-19 and the Effectiveness of Healthcare Personnel Mask Use in Preventing COVID-19 in a Large Health System in Central Michigan.

: The aim of this quality improvement project was to survey commonalities among healthcare personnel who tested positive for COVID-19 and to evaluate the effectiveness the organizational intervention to require healthcare personnel wear masks throughout their shift. Information regarding the 40 healthcare personnel who tested positive for COVID-19 between the dates of March 18, 2020 and May 13, 2020 were included in the analysis. Nurses (n = 9) made up the majority of healthcare personnel positive for COVID-19. The most common types of symptoms reported were cough (n = 26), headache (n = 20), and fever (n = 13). Fourteen days after the requirement for healthcare personnel across the organization to wear masks throughout their shift was implemented, a 67% reduction in positive tests among healthcare personnel involved in a workplace exposure was observed.