With all eyes on COVID-19, drug-resistant infections crept in

The laser focus on battling coronavirus over the past year has had the unintended consequence of making it easier for other types of dangerous infections to flourish. Prevention, testing, and monitoring for drug-resistant bacteria and fungi—notoriously prevalent in nursing homes and hospitals—largely took a back seat as resources were prioritized for fighting the pandemic. At the same time, health care providers have relied heavily on steroids, which help treat COVID-19 but can leave the immune system vulnerable to attack. In addition, critically ill patients often are placed on ventilators, where drug-resistant infections can harbor and spread. The result has been a rise in infections including Candida auris and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. In light of the pandemic's role in this increase, the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists, the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and the Association for Infection Control and Epidemiology have petitioned CMS to freeze rules that tie reimbursement rates to hospital-acquired infections. "Patient care staffing, supplies, care sites and standard practices have all changed during this extraordinary time," the groups noted in a letter to the agency late last month. Experts do not blame the health care community for making COVID-19 their top concern, but they do say more attention must be paid now to drug-resistant germs.