What are the measures taken to prevent COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers? A retrospective study in a cluster of primary care clinics in Singapore

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors contributing to the low COVID-19 infectivity rate among healthcare workers in SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP), Singapore, from February to July 2020. DESIGN: Retrospective description, analysis and discussion of the factors and their contribution. SETTING: Single-institution study. METHODS: We describe and discuss the healthcare policies, infrastructure, people and processes contributing to the low COVID-19 infectivity rate in SHP. There were 1212 full-time and 198 contract staff. Of these, 171 SHP employees also supported the work in dormitories, isolation and community care facilities. During the review period, healthcare workers (HCWs) in SHP managed about 867 076 patient attendances, including 63 503 for upper respiratory tract infections, across its cluster of eight polyclinics. 29 642 swabs for COVID-19 were performed in SHP, with 126 positive results. 395 swabs were carried out in the dormitories and 59 were positive. Despite the high exposure, only two SHP staff were infected with COVID-19. Both have recovered well. RESULTS: Provision of adequate personal protection equipment, zonal segregation of high-risk patients, reduction in physical patient visits, effective staff communication, implementation of self-declared temperature monitoring and the maintenance of sustainable workload and work hours of HCWs contributed to the mitigation of COVID-19 infection risk among our staff. CONCLUSIONS: Until the widespread uptake of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19, these measures are important in protecting HCWs. They are also important when managing future pandemics of similar nature to COVID-19.