Regular testing of asymptomatic healthcare workers identifies cost-efficient SARS-CoV-2 preventive measures

Protecting healthcare professionals is crucial in maintaining a functioning healthcare system. The risk of infection and optimal preventive strategies for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic remain poorly understood. Here we report the results of a weekly testing regime that has been performed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify pre- and asymptomatic healthcare workers. Based on these observations we have developed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that integrates the sources of infection from inside and outside the hospital. The data were used to study how regular testing and a desynchronisation protocol are effective in preventing transmission of COVID-19 infection at work, and compared both strategies in terms of workforce availability and cost-effectiveness. We showed that case incidence among healthcare workers is higher than would be explained solely by community infection. Furthermore, while testing and desynchronisation protocols are both effective in preventing nosocomial transmission, regular testing maintains work productivity with implementation costs.

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Covid-19: the role of infection control in protecting the healthcare workersin Viet Nam

Journal of Clinical Medicine- Hue Central Hospital ◽

10.38103/jcmhch.2021.72.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dinh Binh Tran

Keyword(s):

Infection Control ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Current Situation ◽

Viet Nam ◽

Risk Of Infection ◽

Ministry Of Health ◽

Work Pressure

Protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) is a top priority in COVID-19 pandemic at this time. HCWs who carry the pathogens will increase the risk of infecting their patients, their colleagues as well as the community. Therefore, HCWs must follow the guidance of preventive measures issued by the Ministry of Health to ensure safety, although that means they have to work under uncomfortable condition. That is the reason why the role of surveillance and assessment the risk of infection is extremely critical. Only with regular and continuous supervision, with instructions and reminders, can HCWs effectively prevent the COVID-19 infection, especially while being under intensity - work pressure of the current situation.

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The Significance of Duration of Exposure and Circulation of Fresh Air in SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Among Healthcare Workers

Frontiers in Medicine ◽

10.3389/fmed.2021.664297 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Vasiliki Vlacha ◽

Gavriela Feketea ◽

Athanasia Petropoulou ◽

Sebastian Daniel Trancá

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Healthcare Setting ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Risk Of Infection ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

Regional Health ◽

Additional Information ◽

Index Cases

Background: The true risk of infection after exposure to SARS-CoV-2 of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the workplace has not yet been established. This descriptive study analyzes the exposure characteristics of HCWs to SARS-CoV-2.Methods: In March 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, a total of 58 HCWs in a regional hospital in Greece were exposed to three patients with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. These three index cases had taken part in an 8-day religious tour, during which 52 travelers spent 10 h every day in a tour bus. A study was made of the circumstances of the hospital exposure.Results: Of the 52 travelers in the bus, 48 contracted SARS-CoV2. None of the 58 HCW contacts developed symptoms related to COVID-19, although, 43% were exposed to a SARS-CoV-2 infected patient for more than 15 min, and 74% were within a distance of <1 m, and half of the contacts were not wearing a surgical mask. Additional information was that 63% of the contacts were exposed in a room sized more than 15 m2, and in more than 80% of cases, the window or the door to the room was open during their exposure. In about one-third of the exposure events, the HCW contacts were not wearing a mask and were at a distance of <1 m, and just under half of them were exposed for more than 15 min. One-fourth of the contacts underwent RT-PCR testing, and 11% IgG/IgM antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2, all of which were negative. All observed quarantine at home for 14 days.Conclusion: This observational study was made before the extent of the SARS-CoV-2 became apparent, and before routine preventive measures were observed by all HCWs. Comparing the conditions of exposure in the two different settings (bus vs. regional health facility), it is apparent that the duration of exposure and the small, enclosed nature of the bus are the distinguishing factors. In the healthcare setting, the elimination of both factors and the implementation of additional measures protected the exposed HCWs from contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Self-reported COVID-19 among physicians: An Egyptian online study during the pandemic

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.53931.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

pp. 785

Author(s):

Hala Samir Abou-ElWafa ◽

Abdel-Hady El-Gilany ◽

Ahmed A. Albadry

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Risk Of Infection ◽

Vulnerable Group ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Online Study ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Laboratory Investigations ◽

Survey Monkey ◽

Frontline Healthcare Workers

Abstract: Background: COVID-19 causes a critical occupational risk to frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) who respond to the pandemic, as they are placed in environments with an increased risk of infection exposure. It is a public health priority to understand how transmission occurs to protect this vulnerable group of HCWs. This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of self-reported COVID-19 infection among physicians and its possible associated factors. Methods: An online national survey using Survey Monkey was initiated to collect sociodemographic e.g. age and sex, occupational e.g. place and duration of work, and clinical data e.g. COVID symptoms and laboratory investigations, and to describe affected physicians' diagnoses. Results: The self-reported incidence of COVID-19 infection was found to be 65.4% among studied physicians. The significant independent predictors of COVID-19 infection were smoking, working as a frontline physician, having contact with a COVID-19 case, and working for less than ten years [ARR (95% CI): 3.0(1.6-5.7), 2.3(1.4-3.8), 2.1(1.2-3.6), and 1.8(1.2-2.9); respectively]. Conclusions: The incidence of COVID-19 infection among Egyptian physicians is relatively high. Smoking, being a frontline physician, having contact with a COVID-19 case, and working for less than 10 years are all factors associated with an increased risk of infection. There should be strict application of preventive measures, periodic screening for COVID-19 for early detection and isolation of infected HCWs together with effective vaccination.

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Risk perceptions and preventive practices of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0242471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. e0242471

Author(s):

Wakgari Deressa ◽

Alemayehu Worku ◽

Workeabeba Abebe ◽

Muluken Gizaw ◽

Wondwossen Amogne

Keyword(s):

Perceived Risk ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Preventive Practices

Healthcare professionals are at higher risk of contracting the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although appropriate preventive measures are the most important interventions to prevent coronavirus infection among healthcare workers, they are also highly concerned about the consequences of the pandemic. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess preventive practices, perceived risk and worry about COVID-19 crisis among healthcare professionals at six public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 1,134 respondents (52.6% females). Data were collected between 9th and 20th June 2020 using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with worry about COVID-19 crisis. The highest percentage of respondents were nurses (39.3%) and physicians (22.2%), followed by interns (10.8%) and midwives (10.3%). Wearing facemask (93%) and frequent hand washing (93%) were the commonly reported preventive practices. Perceived risk of becoming infected with coronavirus (88%) and the potential risk of infection to their family (91%) were very high. The mean (median) worry score about COVID-19 crisis was 2.37 (3.0), on 1 to 3 scale, with 1 (not worried) and 3 (highly worried). The majority worried a lot about the health system being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients (92%), the health of their loved ones (90%) and losing someone due to COVID-19 (89%). Respondents who had previously provided clinical care to Ebola, SARS and cholera patients had significantly lower levels of worry about COVID-19 crisis than participants who had not (β = -1.38, P<0.001). Our findings reveal respondents’ widespread practice of preventive measures, highest levels of perceived risk and worry about the COVID-19 crisis. Increased perceived risk and worry about COVID-19 might enable healthcare workers to adopt appropriate preventive measures more effectively against the disease.

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Risk perceptions and preventive practices of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Ethiopia

10.1101/2020.11.04.367896 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wakgari Deressa ◽

Alemayehu Worku ◽

Workeabeba Abebe ◽

Muluken Gizaw ◽

Wondwosson Amogne

Keyword(s):

Risk Perception ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Health Workers ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Preventive Practices

AbstractHealthcare professionals are at higher risk of contracting the novel coronavirus due to their work exposure in the healthcare settings. Practicing appropriate preventive measures to control COVID-19 infection is one of the most important interventions that healthcare workers are expected to use. The aim of this study was to assess the level of risk perception and practices of preventive measures of COVID-19 among health workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 9th to 26th June 2020 among healthcare professionals working at six public hospitals in Addis Ababa. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Frequency, percentage, and mean were used to summarize the data. A binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with risk perception about COVID-19. A total of 1,134 participants were surveyed. Wearing facemask (93%), hand washing for at least 20 seconds (93%), covering mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing (91%), and avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth (91%) were the commonly self-reported preventive practices. About 88% perceived that they were worried about the risk of becoming infected with coronavirus, and majority (91%) worried about the risk of infection to their family. The mean score of overall fear and worry of COVID-19 was 2.37 on a scale of 1 to 3. Respondents who ever provided clinical care to COVID-19 patients were more likely to report fear and worry (adjusted OR=1.34, 95% CI:1.02-1.91), however those who ever participated in Ebola or SARS outbreaks were less likely to report fear and worry due to COVID-19 crisis (adjusted OR=0.66, 95% CI:0.48-0.90). This study has revealed widespread practices of preventive measures and the highest perceived risk of COVID-19 among healthcare workers. Therefore, an effective risk communication intervention should be implemented to ensure the maintenance of appropriate practices during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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Risk perceptions and preventive practices of COVID-19 among healthcare professionals in public hospitals in Ethiopia

10.1101/2020.10.30.20223180 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Wakgari Deressa ◽

Alemayehu Worku ◽

Workeabeba Abebe ◽

Muluken Gizaw ◽

Wondwosson Amogne

Keyword(s):

Risk Perception ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Health Workers ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Preventive Practices

AbstractHealthcare professionals are at higher risk of contracting the novel coronavirus due to their work exposure in the healthcare settings. Practicing appropriate preventive measures to control COVID-19 infection is one of the most important interventions that healthcare workers are expected to use. The aim of this study was to assess the level of risk perception and practices of preventive measures of COVID-19 among health workers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 9th to 26th June 2020 among healthcare professionals working at six public hospitals in Addis Ababa. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Frequency, percentage, and mean were used to summarize the data. A binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with risk perception about COVID-19. A total of 1,134 participants were surveyed. Wearing facemask (93%), hand washing for at least 20 seconds (93%), covering mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing (91%), and avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth (91%) were the commonly self-reported preventive practices. About 88% perceived that they were worried about the risk of becoming infected with coronavirus, and majority (91%) worried about the risk of infection to their family. The mean score of overall fear and worry of COVID-19 was 2.37 on a scale of 1 to 3. Respondents who ever provided clinical care to COVID-19 patients were more likely to report fear and worry (adjusted OR=1.34, 95% CI:1.02-1.91), however those who ever participated in Ebola or SARS outbreaks were less likely to report fear and worry due to COVID-19 crisis (adjusted OR=0.66, 95% CI:0.48-0.90). This study has revealed widespread practices of preventive measures and the highest perceived risk of COVID-19 among healthcare workers. Therefore, an effective risk communication intervention should be implemented to ensure the maintenance of appropriate practices during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

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Challenges in prevention & control of COVID - 19 pandemic in dentistry: A review. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.23434 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sameera Begum ◽

Riaz Abdulla ◽

Akhter Hussain

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Health Concern ◽

Front Line ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

College Hospital ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Dental Procedures ◽

Spread Of Infection ◽

High Chance

UNSTRUCTURED The menace of COVID 19 pandemic has become a major public health concern all over the world. It is a pandemic outbreak that originated from Wuhan, Hubei province of China in December 2019. All healthcare professionals including dental surgeons are in the front line and a high chance of constantly getting infected. Droplet and aerosol transmissions are the utmost concern in dental clinics and dental college hospitals. Hence, COVID 19 has a high risk of spread through droplets and aerosols generated during dental procedures from infected patients. This review article highlights the dental perspective and discusses the various preventive measures undertaken to control the spread of infection in dental clinics and dental college hospital setups.

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Pandora’s box in the dental clinic

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2021.176 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

Debby Ben-David ◽

Azza Vaturi ◽

Ester Solter ◽

Bina Rubinovitch ◽

Jonathan Lellouche ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Dental Procedure ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Intravenous Drugs ◽

Environmental Surfaces ◽

Outpatient Procedures ◽

Polymerase Chain ◽

And Control ◽

Element Sequence

Abstract Background: In June 2018, the Ministry of Health received notification from 2 hospitals about 2 patients who presented with overwhelming Enterobacter kobei sepsis that developed within 24 hours after a dental procedure. We describe the investigation of this outbreak. Methods: The epidemiologic investigation included site visits in 2 dental clinics and interviews with all involved healthcare workers. Chart reviews were conducted for case and control subjects. Samples were taken from medications and antiseptics, environmental surfaces, dental water systems, and from the involved healthcare professionals. Isolate similarity was assessed using repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR). Results: The 2 procedures were conducted in different dental clinics by different surgeons and dental technicians. A single anesthesiologist administered the systemic anesthetic in both cases. Cultures from medications, fluids and healthcare workers’ hands were negative, but E. kobei was detected from the anesthesiologist’s portable medication cart. The 2 human isolates and the environmental isolate shared the same REP-PCR fingerprinting profile. None of the 21 patients treated by the anesthesiologist in a general hospital during the same period, using the hospital’s medications, developed infection following surgery. Conclusions: An outbreak of post–dental-procedure sepsis was linked to a contaminated medication cart, emphasizing the importance of medication storage standards and strict aseptic technique when preparing intravenous drugs during anesthesia. Immediate reporting of sepsis following these outpatient procedures enabled early identification and termination of the outbreak.

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Socioeconomic and Behavioral Correlates of COVID-19 Infections among Hospital Workers in the Greater Jakarta Area, Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105048 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5048

Author(s):

Adrianna Bella ◽

Mochamad Thoriq Akbar ◽

Gita Kusnadi ◽

Olivia Herlinda ◽

Putri Aprilia Regita ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Worker ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Household Size ◽

Risk Of Infection ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Hospital Workers ◽

Behavioral Correlates ◽

Cross Sectional

(1) Background: because of close contacts with COVID-19 patients, hospital workers are among the highest risk groups for infection. This study examined the socioeconomic and behavioral correlates of COVID-19 infection among hospital workers in Indonesia, the country hardest-hit by the disease in the Southeast Asia region. (2) Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study, which collected data from 1397 hospital staff from eight hospitals in the Greater Jakarta area during April–July 2020. The data was collected using an online self-administered questionnaire and Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests. We employed descriptive statistics and adjusted and unadjusted logistic regressions to analyze the data of hospital workers as well as the subgroups of healthcare and non-healthcare workers. (3) Results: from a total of 1397 hospital staff in the study, 22 (1.6%) were infected. In terms of correlates, being a healthcare worker (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 8.31, 95% CI 1.27–54.54) and having a household size of more than five (AOR = 4.09, 1.02–16.43) were significantly associated with a higher risk of infection. On the other hand, those with middle- and upper-expenditure levels were shown to have a lower risk of infection (AOR = 0.06, 0.01–0.66). Behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 infection among healthcare and non-healthcare workers included knowledge of standard personal protective equipment (PPE) (AOR = 0.08, 0.01–0.54) and application of the six-step handwashing technique (AOR = 0.32, 0.12–0.83). (4) Conclusion: among hospital staff, correlates of COVID-19 infection included being a healthcare worker, household size, expenditure level, knowledge and use of PPE, and application of appropriate hand washing techniques.

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