Resource Location: https://cdn.ymaws.com/npiap.com/resource/resmgr/white_papers/COVID_Skin_Manifestations_An.pdf
National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel (NPAIP)
Many reports are occurring concerning areas of purpuric/purple skin and purple toe lesions in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Wound care providers are being asked if these skin lesions are forms of Deep Tissue Pressure Injury and/or “skin failure”. Early reports of COVID-19 related
skin changes included rashes, acral areas of erythema with vesicles or pustules (pseudo-chilblain), other vesicular eruptions, urticarial lesions, maculopapular eruptions, and livedo or necrosis. The pattern and presentation of skin manifestations with COVID-19 is more than rashes. The purpose of this paper is to guide the wound care clinician in determining if the “purple skin” being seen is a deep tissue pressure injury or a cutaneous manifestation of COVID-19.