Health-care workers are crucial to any health-care system During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, health-care workers are at a substantially increased risk of becoming infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and could come to considerable harm as a result Depending on the phase of the pandemic, patients with COVID-19 might not be the main source of SARS-CoV-2 infection and health-care workers could be exposed to atypical patients, infected family members, contacts, and colleagues, or live in communities of active transmission Clear strategies to support and appropriately manage exposed and infected health-care workers are essential to ensure effective staff management and to engender trust in the workplace These management strategies should focus on risk stratification, suitable clinical monitoring, low-threshold access to diagnostics, and decision making about removal from and return to work Policy makers need to support health-care facilities in interpreting guidance during a pandemic that will probably be characterised by fluctuating local incidence of SARS-CoV-2 to mitigate the impact of this pandemic on their workforce

Monitoring approaches for health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the study was to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among HCWs in Cochabamba, Bolivia and to determine the potential risk factors. In January 2021, a cross-sectional SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study was conducted in 783 volunteer clinical and non-clinical HCWs in tertiary care facilities. It was based on IgG detection using ELISA, chemiluminiscence, and seroneutralisation tests from dried blood spots. Analysis revealed a high seroprevalence (43.4%) of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. The combination of anosmia and ageusia (OR: 68.11; 95%-CI 24.83–186.80) was predictive of seropositivity. Belonging to the cleaning staff (OR: 1.94; 95%-CI 1.09–3.45), having more than two children in the same house (OR: 1.74; 95%-CI 1.12–2.71), and having been in contact with a close relative with COVID-19 (OR: 3.53; 95%-CI 2.24–5.58) were identified as risk factors for seropositivity in a multivariate analysis. A total of 47.5% of participants had received medication for COVID-19 treatment or prevention, and only ~50% of symptomatic subjects accessed PCR or antigenic testing. This study confirms a massive SARS-CoV-2 attack rate among HCWs in Cochabamba by the end of January 2021. The main risk factors identified are having a low-skilled job, living with children, and having been in contact with an infected relative in the household.

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High SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence among Healthcare Workers in Cochabamba, Bolivia

Health care workers attending the current pandemic are highly exposed to contagion of COVID-19. Due to the multiple variety of symptoms this disease presents, a need to further study the presence and dynamics of anti SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in the Guanajuato State Laboratory of Public Health arises, place where the rRT-PCR test for COVID-19 diagnose has been concentrated since March 2020. This study aims to estimate the seroprevalence of anti SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, in such workers and their maintenance after 5 months.
Method: Blood samples were collected from the 100 workers that remained working in the institution since March 2020 and were tested with a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay used for the semiquantitative detection of anti SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies.
Results: Findings of seroprevalence was 6%, nevertheless, only 67% kept a positive titer after 5 months. No differences by gender nor symptoms were found. The 4 workers with previous positive rRT-PCR test record, developed antibodies at the beginning of the study, as 2 workers who did not have previous positive rRT-PCR test record and were considered as asymptomatic.   
Discussion or Conclusion: A low seroprevalence was observed in the laboratory staff compared to other health care workers studies. This could be due to the adequate use of safety equipment, good laboratory practice and the implementation of containment strategies within the institution.

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Beatriz Adriana Barba Hernández

Papers

Seroprevalencia y seguimiento de anticuerpos IgG contra SARS-CoV-2 en personal del Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública de Guanajuato LaESaP