When caring for COVID patients, healthcare facilities usually cohort COVID-19 patients in specific sections of the facility or spread them throughout the hospital, according to an article on the Health Facilities Maintenance article.

As non-COVID patients return,  safe patient-arrangement becomes more important.

Grouping COVID-19 patients together in a devoted area enables dedicated staff to focus on the needed infection control precautions and reduces the risk of cross-contamination.

Despite safety efforts, patients are contracting COVID-19 inside hospitals, according to an article. on the 11 Alive website. But, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from May 14 to June 21, US hospitals identified 5,142 patients who were infected with coronavirus inside their facilities. 

Not cohorting allows the use of existing isolation rooms and other specialized spaces throughout the hospital. It also limits individual staff exposure.

Read the full Health Facilities Management article.