Helena C Maltezou1, Xanthi Dedoukou2, Maria Tseroni1, Evi Tsonou3, Vasileios Raftopoulos4, Kalliopi Papadima5, Elisavet Mouratidou5, Sophia Poufta1, George Panagiotakopoulos2, Dimitrios Hatzigeorgiou6, Nikolaos Sipsas7. 1. Directorate of Epidemiological Surveillance and Interventions for Infectious Diseases, Athens. 2. National Public Health Organization, Athens. 3. Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Directorate of Non-Communicable Diseases, National Public Health Organization, Athens. 4. Department of HIV Surveillance, National Public Health Organization, Athens. 5. Department for Respiratory Infections, Directorate for Epidemiological Surveillance and Interventions for Infectious Diseases, Athens. 6. Medical Directorate, Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Athens. 7. Pathophysiology Department, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Starting in late February 2020, Greece is experiencing a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Healthcare personnel (HCP) were disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 10% of notified cases. Exclusion from work for 7 days was recommended for HCP with high-risk occupational exposure. Our aim was to evaluate the 7-day exclusion from work policy for HCP with high-risk exposure. METHODS: HCP with a history of occupational exposure to COVID-19 were notified to the Hellenic National Public Health Organization, regardless of their exposure risk category. Exposed HCP were followed for 14 days after last exposure. RESULTS: We prospectively studied 3398 occupationally exposed HCP; nursing personnel accounted for most exposures (n=1705; 50.2%). Of the 3398 exposed HCP, 1599 (47.1%) were classified as low-risk, 765 (22.5%) as moderate-risk, and 1031 (30.4%) as high-risk exposures. Sixty-six (1.9%) HCP developed COVID-19 at a mean of 3.65 days (range: 0-17 days) post-exposure. Of the 66 HCP with COVID-19, 46, 7, and 13 had a history of high-, moderate- or low-risk exposure (4.5%, 0.9%, and 0.8% of all high-, moderate-, and low-risk exposures, respectively). Hospitalization and absenteeism were more prevalent among HCP with high-risk exposure. A logistic regression analysis showed that the following variables were significantly associated with an increased risk for the onset of COVID-19: male, administrative personnel, underlying disease and high-risk exposure. CONCLUSION: HCP with high-risk occupational exposure to COVID-19 had increased probability of serious morbidity, healthcare seeking, hospitalization and absenteeism. Our findings justify the 7-day exclusion from work policy for HCP with high-risk exposure.
BACKGROUND: Starting in late February 2020, Greece is experiencing a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Healthcare personnel (HCP) were disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 10% of notified cases. Exclusion from work for 7 days was recommended for HCP with high-risk occupational exposure. Our aim was to evaluate the 7-day exclusion from work policy for HCP with high-risk exposure. METHODS: HCP with a history of occupational exposure to COVID-19 were notified to the Hellenic National Public Health Organization, regardless of their exposure risk category. Exposed HCP were followed for 14 days after last exposure. RESULTS: We prospectively studied 3398 occupationally exposed HCP; nursing personnel accounted for most exposures (n=1705; 50.2%). Of the 3398 exposed HCP, 1599 (47.1%) were classified as low-risk, 765 (22.5%) as moderate-risk, and 1031 (30.4%) as high-risk exposures. Sixty-six (1.9%) HCP developed COVID-19 at a mean of 3.65 days (range: 0-17 days) post-exposure. Of the 66 HCP with COVID-19, 46, 7, and 13 had a history of high-, moderate- or low-risk exposure (4.5%, 0.9%, and 0.8% of all high-, moderate-, and low-risk exposures, respectively). Hospitalization and absenteeism were more prevalent among HCP with high-risk exposure. A logistic regression analysis showed that the following variables were significantly associated with an increased risk for the onset of COVID-19: male, administrative personnel, underlying disease and high-risk exposure. CONCLUSION: HCP with high-risk occupational exposure to COVID-19 had increased probability of serious morbidity, healthcare seeking, hospitalization and absenteeism. Our findings justify the 7-day exclusion from work policy for HCP with high-risk exposure.
Authors: S Paltansing; R S Sikkema; S J de Man; M P G Koopmans; B B Oude Munnink; P de Man Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2021-02-08 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: Edward J Bernacki; Dan L Hunt; Larry Yuspeh; Robert A Lavin; Nimisha Kalia; Nina Leung; Nicholas F Tsourmas; Leila Williams; Xuguang Grant Tao Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2021-05-01 Impact factor: 2.306
Authors: Aidan T Hanrath; Ina Schim van der Loeff; Dennis W Lendrem; Kenneth F Baker; David A Price; Peter McDowall; Kiera McDowall; Susan Cook; Peter Towns; Ulrich Schwab; Adam Evans; Jill Dixon; Jennifer Collins; Shirelle Burton-Fanning; David Saunders; Jayne Harwood; Julie Samuel; Matthias L Schmid; Lucia Pareja-Cebrian; Ewan Hunter; Elizabeth Murphy; Yusri Taha; Brendan A I Payne; Christopher J A Duncan Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2021-03-12
Authors: H C Maltezou; T V Giannouchos; A Pavli; P Tsonou; X Dedoukou; M Tseroni; K Papadima; D Hatzigeorgiou; N V Sipsas; K Souliotis Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2021-04-22 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: A Bak; M A Mugglestone; N V Ratnaraja; J A Wilson; L Rivett; S M Stoneham; J Bostock; S E Moses; J R Price; M Weinbren; H P Loveday; J Islam; A P R Wilson Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2021-05-01 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: Vishal P Shah; Laura E Breeher; Julie M Alleckson; David G Rivers; Zhen Wang; Emily R Stratton; Wigdan Farah; Caitlin M Hainy; Melanie D Swift Journal: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Date: 2022-01-06 Impact factor: 3.254
Authors: A Gagneux-Brunon; C Pelissier; J Gagnaire; S Pillet; B Pozzetto; E Botelho-Nevers; P Berthelot Journal: J Hosp Infect Date: 2020-08-08 Impact factor: 3.926
Authors: Roger Chou; Tracy Dana; David I Buckley; Shelley Selph; Rongwei Fu; Annette M Totten Journal: Ann Intern Med Date: 2020-08-03 Impact factor: 25.391
Authors: Caterina Ledda; Claudio Costantino; Giuseppe Motta; Rosario Cunsolo; Patrizia Stracquadanio; Giuseppe Liberti; Helena C Maltezou; Venerando Rapisarda Journal: Trop Med Infect Dis Date: 2022-01-13