Differential occupational risks to healthcare workers from SARS-CoV-2 observed during a prospective observational study
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Open Access
- 21 August 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd in eLife
Abstract
We conducted voluntary Covid-19 testing programmes for symptomatic and asymptomatic staff at a UK teaching hospital using naso-/oro-pharyngeal PCR testing and immunoassays for IgG antibodies. 1128/10,034(11.2%) staff had evidence of Covid-19 at some time. Using questionnaire data provided on potential risk-factors, staff with a confirmed household contact were at greatest risk (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.82 [95%CI 3.45-6.72]). Higher rates of Covid-19 were seen in staff working in Covid-19-facing areas (22.6% vs. 8.6% elsewhere) (aOR 2.47 [1.99-3.08]). Controlling for Covid-19-facing status, risks were heterogenous across the hospital, with higher rates in acute medicine (1.52 [1.07-2.16]) and sporadic outbreaks in areas with few or no Covid-19 patients. Covid-19 intensive care unit staff were relatively protected (0.44 [0.28-0.69]), likely by a bundle of PPE-related measures. Positive results were more likely in Black (1.66 [1.25-2.21]) and Asian (1.51 [1.28-1.77]) staff, independent of role or working location, and in porters and cleaners (2.06 [1.34-3.15]).Keywords
Funding Information
- UK government (Department of Health and Social Care)
- National Institute of Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance (HPRU-2012-10041)
- Robertson Foundation
- NIHR (Oxford BRC Senior Fellow)
- Wellcome Trust (Clinical Research Fellow)
- Medical Research Council (MR/N00065X/1)
- Wellcome Trust (Intermediate Fellowship 110110/Z/15/Z)
- NIHR (Doctoral Research Fellow)
- Medical Research Foundation (MRF-145-004-TPG-AVISO)
- Wellcome Trust (Clinical Research Training Fellow 216417/Z/19/Z)
- NIHR (Clinical Lecturer)
- Structural Genomics Consortium
- Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research
- Wellcome Trust (Senior Investigator)
- Schmidt Foundation
- Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellow (214560/Z/18/Z)
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