Cargando…

High numbers of COVID-19 patients transit through non-COVID wards, and associated healthcare workers have high infection rates: An observational cross-sectional study

Infection risk is high in healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients but the risk in non-COVID clinical environments is less clear. We measured infection rates early in the pandemic by SARS-CoV-2 antibody and/or a positive PCR test in 1118 HCWs within various hospital environments with partic...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Nallamilli, Susanna, Patel, Tejus, Buazon, April, Vidler, Jennifer, Norton, Sam, Atta, Mustafa, Galloway, James, Bowcock, Stella
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9581418/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36260597
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0275154
Descripción
Sumario:Infection risk is high in healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients but the risk in non-COVID clinical environments is less clear. We measured infection rates early in the pandemic by SARS-CoV-2 antibody and/or a positive PCR test in 1118 HCWs within various hospital environments with particular focus on non-COVID clinical areas. Infection risk on non-COVID wards was estimated through the surrogate metric of numbers of patients transferred from a non-COVID to a COVID ward. Staff infection rates increased with likelihood of COVID exposure and suggested high risk in non-COVID clinical areas (non patient-facing 23.2% versus patient-facing in either non-COVID environments 31.5% or COVID wards 44%). High numbers of patients admitted to COVID wards had initially been admitted to designated non-COVID wards (22–48% at peak). Infection risk was high during a pandemic in all clinical environments and non-COVID designation may provide false reassurance. Our findings support the need for common personal protective equipment standards in all clinical areas, irrespective of COVID/non-COVID designation.