Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in a tertiary care hospital emergency department


Por: Chico-Sanchez, P, Gras-Valenti, P, Mora-Muriel, J, Algado-Selles, N, Sanchez-Paya, J, Llorens, P, Serv Med Preventiva and Comision Infecciones

Publicada: 1 ago 2020
Resumen:
Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention and control program for health care workers in a tertiary care hospital emergency department (ED). Methods. We recorded the number of confirmed COVID-19 workers in the ED on March 2, 2020, and April 12, 2020. Workers were screened if they had symptoms or were traced as contacts. Variables recorded were age, sex, staff position, work area, and reason for contact. We used the chi(2) test to compare ED workers to workers in other areas of the health care system. Results. Of the 3900 health care workers (279 in the ED), 1744 cases (92 in the ED) were included for analysis. A total of 736 workers (52 in the ED) had symptoms, and 151 had positive test results (9 from the ED). Two of the infections in the ED workers (22.2%) were attributed to patient contact and 7 (77.8%) to nonwork-related contact either in the workplace or in the community. The prevalence of COVID-19 among ED workers was 3.2% (9/279). The prevalence among other health system workers was 3.9% (142/3621). The differences in COVID-19 prevalence between the 2 groups was not significant. Nor was there a significant difference in the reasons for contact with the virus between the 2 groups. Conclusion. Based on the prevalence of COVID-19 among ED workers and other health care workers, the reasons for risk of contact with the virus, and the time frame for gathering the data, we conclude that the prevention and control measures in the ED have been effective.

Filiaciones:
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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Med Prevent, Unidad Epidemiol, Alicante, Spain

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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Med Prevent, Unidad Epidemiol, Alicante, Spain

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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Med Prevent, Unidad Epidemiol, Alicante, Spain

 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Comis Infecc, Alicante, Spain

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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Med Prevent, Unidad Epidemiol, Alicante, Spain

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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Med Prevent, Unidad Epidemiol, Alicante, Spain

 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Comis Infecc, Alicante, Spain

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 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Comis Infecc, Alicante, Spain

 Hosp Gen Univ Alicante, Inst Invest Sanitaria & Biomed Alicante ISABIAL, Serv Urgencias, Alicante, Spain
ISSN: 11376821
Editorial
SANIDAD EDICIONES, CAPITAL HAYA, 60, MADRID, 28020, SPAIN, España
Tipo de documento: Article
Volumen: 32 Número: 4
Páginas: 227-232
WOS Id: 000571319300003
ID de PubMed: 32691999
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