Drive-through testing for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic health and social care workers and household members: an observational cohort study

Parcell, Benjamin J.; Brechin, Kathryn; Allstaff, Sarah; Park, Meg; Third, Wendy; Bean, Susan; Hind, Chris; Farmer, Rajiv; Chandler, Daniel; Chalmers, James D.

doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215128

Cited by 12 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Important strengths of the study including the large sample sample size, representation of multiple staff groups and the extensive SARS-CoV-2 testing of symptomatic healthcare workers in the region allowing correlation between antibody testing and prior SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. 6…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Scottish Healthcare Workers

Abo-Leyah

Gallant

Cassidy

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Introduction: Healthcare workers are believed to be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The extent of that increased risk compared to the general population and the groups most at risk have not been extensively studied. Methods: A prospective observational study of health and social care workers in NHS Tayside (Scotland, UK) from May to September 2020. The Siemens SARS-CoV-2 total antibody assay was used to establish seroprevalence in this cohort. Patients provided clinical information including demographics and workplace information. Controls, matched for age and sex to the general Tayside population, were studied for comparison. Results: A total of 2062 health and social care workers were recruited for this study. The participants were predominantly female (81.7%) and 95.2% were white. 299 healthcare workers had a positive antibody test (14.5%). 11 out of 231 control sera tested positive (4.8%). Healthcare workers therefore had an increased likelihood of a positive test (odds ratio 3.4 95% CI 1.85-6.16, p<0.0001). Dentists, healthcare assistants and porters were the job roles most likely to test positive. Those working in front-line roles with COVID-19 patients were more likely to test positive (17.4% vs. 13.4%, p=0.02). 97.1% of patients who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR had positive antibodies, compared to 11.8% of individuals with a symptomatic illness who had tested negative. Anosmia was the symptom most associated with the presence of detectable antibodies. Conclusion: In this study, healthcare workers were three times more likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 than the general population. The seroprevalence data in different populations identified in this study will be useful to protect healthcare staff during future waves of the pandemic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measures taken to mitigate this increased risk include adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) 5 , infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures within healthcare environments and staff testing. Across the UK, testing for healthcare and other key workers with symptoms has been widely available since April 2020 6 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Scottish Healthcare Workers

Abo-Leyah

Gallant

Cassidy

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…In a study of household contacts in Bnei Brak, Israel [14], the secondary attack rate was 58.3% in adults aged 18-47y, 32.5% in children aged 5-17y, OR=0.35 (0.12,0.97) relative to adults, and 11.8% in children aged 0-4y, OR=0.09 (0.01,0.49) relative to adults. In a study of health and social care workers in Tayside, Scotland [15], the household secondary attack rates in pediatric contacts was 2.6%, while in adult contacts it was 19.5%, OR=9.13 (3.32,35.1). In a Chinese study [4], the attack rate among contacts of confirmed cases (not only household) was lower in children under the age of 15y compared to adults aged 15-64y (multivariable OR= 0.34 (0.24 to 0.49)).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the effect of age on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households, schools and the community

Goldstein

Lipsitch

Çevik

2020

Preprint

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Background: There is limited information on the effect of age on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in different settings, including primary, secondary and high schools, households, and the whole community. We undertook a literature review of published studies/data on detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in contacts of COVID-19 cases, as well as serological studies, and studies of infections in the school setting to examine those issues. Results: Our literature review presents evidence for significantly lower susceptibility to infection for children aged under 10 years compared to adults given the same exposure, for elevated susceptibility to infection in adults aged over 60y compared to younger/middle aged adults, and for the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with sleeping close to an infected individual. Published serological studies also suggest that younger adults (particularly those aged under 35y) often have high cumulative rates of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community. Additionally, there is some evidence of robust spread of SARS-CoV-2 in secondary/high schools, and there appears to be more limited spread in primary schools. Some countries with relatively large class sizes in primary schools (e.g. Chile and Israel) reported sizeable outbreaks in some of those schools, though routes of transmission of infection to both students and staff are not clear from current reports. Conclusions: Opening secondary/high schools is likely to contribute to the spread of SARS-CoV-2, and, if implemented, it should require both lower levels of community transmission and greater safeguards to reduce transmission. Compared to secondary/high schools, opening primary schools and daycare facilities may have a more limited effect on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the community, particularly under smaller class sizes and in the presence of mitigation measures. Efforts to avoid crowding in the classroom and other mitigation measures should be implemented, to the extent possible, when opening primary schools. Efforts should be undertaken to diminish the mixing in younger adults to mitigate the spread of the epidemic in the whole community.

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“…Testing of asymptomatic HCWs is warranted especially in institutional outbreaks which can markedly reduce the staff work days lost due to self-isolation. 9 Outsidehospital or community was the source of infection as communicated by respondents which increased almost 15 times in second quadmester compared to first quadmester. This clearly points towards reduced relevance in risk stratification of HCWs based on workplace exposures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Quadmester-wise comparison of disease transmission dynamics of COVID-19 among health care workers in Kannur district, Kerala

Raheela

Chandran

Rajan³

et al. 2021

Int J Community Med Public Health

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Background: Health-care workers (HCWs) may get infected by direct or indirect contact with infected patients or other HCWs or from the community as well, depending on the phase through which pandemic progresses. Knowledge about the disease transmission dynamics as the pandemic advances is a need so that appropriate monitoring, prevention and control measures for HCWs can be implemented at local level. The main objective of this study was quadmester-wise comparison of disease transmission dynamics of COVID-19 among HCWs in Kannur district.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among HCWs reported positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Kannur district, Kerala. COVID-19 positive HCWs reported in the district were consolidated and contacted over phone and details were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were entered into microsoft excel and analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) trial version. Chi-square test was used to compare differences observed in the two groups and binary logistic regression was done to pick out the significant predictors of variability in disease transmission among the two groups.Results: Total respondents in the first and second quadmester were 243 and 1665, respectively. Factors like gender, clinical features, source of infection, family as source and type of duty taken were found to be statistically significant for the disease transmission dynamics among HCWs.Conclusions: As the pandemic advances, irrespective of the type of work place, self-reporting and regular testing of HCWs will help to check HCWs from getting infected and spreading the disease.

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Drive-through testing for SARS-CoV-2 in symptomatic health and social care workers and household members: an observational cohort study

Cited by 12 publications

References 7 publications

Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Scottish Healthcare Workers

Seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 Antibodies in Scottish Healthcare Workers

On the effect of age on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in households, schools and the community

Quadmester-wise comparison of disease transmission dynamics of COVID-19 among health care workers in Kannur district, Kerala

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