The first wave of COVID-19 in hospital staff members of a tertiary care hospital in the greater Paris area: A surveillance and risk factors study
Benjamin Davido, Sylvain Gautier, Isabelle Riom, Stéphanie Landowski, Christine Lawrence, Anne C. M. Thiébaut, Simon Bessis, Véronique Perronne, H. Mascitti, Latifa Noussair, Martine Domart Rancon, Beatrice Touraine, É. Rouveix, Jean‐Louis Herrmann, D Annane, Pierre de Truchis, Elisabeth Delarocque‐Astagneau
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Understanding how hospital staff members (HSMs), including healthcare workers, acquired severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first wave can guide the control measures in the current second wave in Europe. METHODS: From March 5 to May 10, 2020, the Raymond-Poincaré Hospital held a weekday consultation for HSMs for PCR testing. HSMs were requested to complete a questionnaire on their potential exposure to SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Of 200 HSMs screened, 70 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Ninety-nine HSMs completed the questionnaire of whom 28 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. In the multivariable analysis, age of ≥44 years (aOR = 5.2, 95% CI [1.4-22.5]) and not systematically using a facemask when caring for a patient (aOR = 13.9, 95% CI [1.8-293.0]) were significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Working in a COVID-19-dedicated ward (aOR = 0.7, 95% CI [0.2-3.2]) was not significantly associated with infection. Community-related exposure in and outside the hospital, hospital meetings without facemasks (aOR = 21.3, 95% CI [4.5-143.9]) and private gatherings (aOR = 10, 95% CI [1.3-91.0]) were significantly associated with infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the effectiveness of barrier precautions and highlight in-hospital infections not related to patient care and infections related to exposure in the community. Protecting HSMs against COVID-19 is crucial in fighting the second wave of the epidemic.