Layers of exposure risk management measures for the prevention and control of infections of healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients

Exposure risk assessment and management follow a logic similar to that of a security system designed to protect an "asset" from a threat. In our case, the health of the HCWs was at risk due to their interactions with COVID-19 patients at "Sf. Ioan cel Nou" County Emergency Hospital, Suceava, Romania. Hypothesis testing indicated that all implemented measures contributed significantly to pandemic management, although a functional exposure risk management system requires effective risk reduction across all 4 layers. Given the validity of the second hypothesis - that preventive measures were generally applied at the hospital - we can conclude that HCWs and managers may primarily focus on this type of preventive measure, mainly addressing the second layer alone. This imbalance risks diverting managerial attention and resources toward the second layer at the expense of the other three.