COVID-19 Serosurvey of Frontline Healthcare Workers in Western Australia

We aimed to study COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first wave in a setting of low community incidence prior to HCW vaccination. We performed a cross-sectional study of frontline HCWs in two tertiary hospitals in Western Australia with questionnaire and testing for SARS-CoV-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of epidemiology and global health 2022-12, p.1-6
Main Authors: Ludewick, Herbert, Hahn, Rebecca, Italiano, Claire, Pereira, Lynette, Fatovich, Daniel, Saxton, Jemma, Hunt, Richard, Ho, Kwok M., Boan, Peter, Pavey, Warren
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We aimed to study COVID-19 infection in healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first wave in a setting of low community incidence prior to HCW vaccination. We performed a cross-sectional study of frontline HCWs in two tertiary hospitals in Western Australia with questionnaire and testing for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, using a screening assay followed by confirmatory assays for initial reactive results. 799 Frontline HCWs were enrolled in the study, working in the emergency department ( n  = 194, 24.2%), ICU ( n  = 176, 22.0%), respiratory ward ( n  = 20, 2.5%), COVID clinic ( n  = 37, 4.6%), and theatre ( n  = 222, 28%). 189 (23.6%) were doctors, 327 (41.0%) nurses, and 283 (35.4%) other. Contact with a known COVID-19-positive patient occurred at work for 337 (42.1%), and outside work for 10 (1.2%). Four were diagnosed with COVID-19 by PCR, acquired overseas in two cases and related to healthcare work in two cases (one acquired from a colleague and one possibly acquired from patient contact in the healthcare setting). Nine HCWs had reactive screening serology, and three had confirmed positive IgG (these three were PCR-positive cases). Infection control procedures in the setting of low community incidence were effective at preventing HCW acquisition of COVID-19 infection.
ISSN:2210-6006
2210-6014
DOI:10.1007/s44197-022-00065-1