Occupational management of healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19

Abstract

Background: The year 2020 was marked by the new coronavirus pandemic, resulting in millions of cases and deaths, placing healthcare workers at high risk of infection.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the role of an occupational health service during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in an oncologic hospital and characterize the most likely sources of viral infection.

Methods: The information of all healthcare workers with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection from 11 March to 15 December 2020 was collected through an epidemiological survey conducted during contact tracing. The data extracted included gender, age, comorbidities, occupational group, source of infection, clinical presentation, duration of the disease, need for hospitalization and persistent or late symptoms after disease or upon returning to work.

Results: Out of a total of 2300 workers, 157 were infected, consisting of nurses (36%), nurse assistants (33%) and diagnostic and therapeutic professionals (10%). Physicians and administrative staff accounted for 8% each. The most frequently reported source of infection was occupational (43%), owing to worker-to-worker transmission (45%) and patient-to-worker transmission (36%). The most frequent moments of infection perceived corresponded to the removal of protective equipment during meals and moments of rest in the staff and changing rooms.

Conclusions: The study revealed that occupational transmission from patients and colleagues might be an important source of SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare workers. Spread between colleagues accounted for 45% of the occupational source infections reported. Implementing physical distancing measures and limiting the number of people in changing and rest rooms could significantly reduce infection and related absenteeism.

Keywords: Absenteeism; COVID-19 pandemic; healthcare workers; occupational health.