Is it time for us to account for the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on healthcare-associated infections?

[...]incorporating community and preferably hospital and unit level COVID-19 prevalence as a factor may help better evaluate HAI risk adjustment in corresponding hospitals. COVID-19 surges and inpatient caseloads have been associated with higher mortality4 and CLABSI.5 Reviewing the national study,1 CLABSI and HO-MRSA bacteremia for specific states like Michigan and New Jersey exhibited significant increases in the second quarter of 2020 but not the third quarter, consistent with the early surges. [...]the currently submitted measures do not identify the proportion of patients with COVID-19 developing HAI infection (reporting COVID-19 status with each HAI remains optional). [...]the COVID-19 pandemic has helped us better understand the strengths and limitations of our national surveillance measures for HAIs.