Table 1 Study population and input parameters (all costs are expressed in 2012 Euros)

Study population (n)

Fathers

*

Lactating mothers

*

Non-lactating mothers

*

Newborns

*

Parents per child

*

Average weight newborn (in kg)

[22]

Staff members

*

Medical consumption

Erythromycin cost per vial (solution of 20 mg)

[16]

Erythromycin cost per tablet

[16]

Azithromycin cost per tablet

[16]

Laboratory investigation

Number of PCRs performed:

Children

*

Staff members

*

PCR costs per unit

[18]

Number of serological tests performed:

Children

* *

Staff members

Serological test cost per unit

[23]

Outbreak control management

Crisis meetings in the hospital

*

Duration of a crisis meeting (in minutes)

*

Personnel present at every crisis meeting:

Nurses

*

Neonatologists

*

Assistants

*

Amount of surgical masks used during the outbreak period

*

Costs per unit surgical mask

[24]

Replacing sick staff members

Average working hours of nurses per week

[14]

Number of staff members not able to work for three days after performing the PCR test. Assumed they were all nurses

*

Number of hours of nurses absence due to the PCR test

Calculated

Number of staff members absent from the neonatology ward for one week. Assumed they were all nurses.

*

Number of hours of nurses absence due to illness (i.e. sick leave)

Calculated

Restrictions patient uptake

Regular occupation of the neonatology ward, patients per day

*

Average length of stay of neonates in neonatology ward (in days)

* & Personal communication

Average number of patients admitted on the neonatology ward per day

Calculated

Length of patient restriction uptake on the neonatology ward (in days)

*

Number of empty bed-days due to ward closure during the restriction period

Calculated

Cost per patient per day due to patient restriction

[23]

Reduced workforce due to patient uptake restrictions

Average number of nurses & assistant working/day in the neonatology ward

*

Average number of consultant working/day in the neonatology ward

*

Average number of neonatologists working/day in the neonatology ward

*

Reduced working force due to ward closure:

On day 1

Assumed

On day 2

On day 3

On day 4

On day 5 and onwards

Reduced working hours due to ward closure

Nurses

Calculated

Others

Neonatologists

Preventive vaccination

Infanrix IPV® costs

[20]

Staff members vaccinated

*

Average number of new personal in neonatology ward /year (in %)

Assumed

Average number of new personnel in neonatology ward /year (absolute)

Calculated

Booster vaccination after years

[21]

Tariff personnel

The costs for the employer are higher than the tariffs paid to the employees, we therefore multiplied the costs per hour by

Assumed

Tariff per hour/nurses

[15]

Tariff per hour/neonatologists

[15]

Tariff per hour/others

[15]