Characteristics and transmission dynamics of COVID-19 in healthcare workers at a London teaching hospital.
Adult
COVID-19
Coronavirus Infections
/ prevention & control
Disease Outbreaks
/ prevention & control
Female
Guidelines as Topic
Health Personnel
/ statistics & numerical data
Hospitals, Teaching
/ statistics & numerical data
Humans
Infection Control
/ standards
Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional
/ prevention & control
London
/ epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Occupational Exposure
/ prevention & control
Pandemics
/ prevention & control
Personal Protective Equipment
/ standards
Pneumonia, Viral
/ prevention & control
COVID-19
Healthcare workers
Outbreak investigation
SARS-CoV-2
Staff health
Testing
Journal
The Journal of hospital infection
ISSN: 1532-2939
Titre abrégé: J Hosp Infect
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8007166
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Oct 2020
Oct 2020
Historique:
received:
18
06
2020
accepted:
22
07
2020
pubmed:
31
7
2020
medline:
21
10
2020
entrez:
31
7
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Healthcare worker (HCW)-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is of global concern due to the potential for nosocomial spread and depletion of staff numbers. However, the literature on transmission routes and risk factors for COVID-19 in HCWs is limited. To examine the characteristics and transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in HCWs in a university teaching hospital in London, UK. Staff records and virology testing results were combined to identify staff sickness and COVID-19 rates from March to April 2020. Comparisons were made with staff professional groups, department of work, and ethnicity. COVID-19 rates in our HCWs largely rose and declined in parallel with the number of community cases. White and non-White ethnic groups among our HCWs had similar rates of infection. Clinical staff had a higher rate of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 than non-clinical staff, but total sickness rates were similar. Doctors had the highest rate of infection, but took the fewest sickness days. Critical care had lower rates than the emergency department (ED), but rates in the ED declined when all staff were advised to use personal protective equipment (PPE). Sustained transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among our hospital staff did not occur, beyond the community outbreak, even in the absence of strict infection control measures in non-clinical areas. Current PPE appears to be effective when used appropriately. Our findings emphasize the importance of testing both clinical and non-clinical staff groups during a pandemic.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Healthcare worker (HCW)-associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is of global concern due to the potential for nosocomial spread and depletion of staff numbers. However, the literature on transmission routes and risk factors for COVID-19 in HCWs is limited.
AIM
OBJECTIVE
To examine the characteristics and transmission dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in HCWs in a university teaching hospital in London, UK.
METHODS
METHODS
Staff records and virology testing results were combined to identify staff sickness and COVID-19 rates from March to April 2020. Comparisons were made with staff professional groups, department of work, and ethnicity.
FINDINGS
RESULTS
COVID-19 rates in our HCWs largely rose and declined in parallel with the number of community cases. White and non-White ethnic groups among our HCWs had similar rates of infection. Clinical staff had a higher rate of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 than non-clinical staff, but total sickness rates were similar. Doctors had the highest rate of infection, but took the fewest sickness days. Critical care had lower rates than the emergency department (ED), but rates in the ED declined when all staff were advised to use personal protective equipment (PPE).
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Sustained transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among our hospital staff did not occur, beyond the community outbreak, even in the absence of strict infection control measures in non-clinical areas. Current PPE appears to be effective when used appropriately. Our findings emphasize the importance of testing both clinical and non-clinical staff groups during a pandemic.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32730771
pii: S0195-6701(20)30356-X
doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2020.07.025
pmc: PMC7384992
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
325-329Commentaires et corrections
Type : CommentIn
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2020 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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