Elsevier

IJID Regions

Volume 2, March 2022, Pages 45-50
IJID Regions

Impact of social activity restriction and routine patient screening as a preventive measurement for tertiary referral hospital staff in a country with high COVID-19 incidence

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijregi.2021.11.007Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • Health care workers are a high risk population for COVID-19 reinfection

  • Vaccination breakthrough cases found after the mass vaccination program

  • Social activity restriction is effective in lowering COVID-19 case numbers

  • Routine screening for all patients recommended for a safe working environment

Abstract

Background

Measuring COVID-19 incidence among hospital staff and the influencing factors and preventative measures affecting outcomes is important given their high risk of exposure and potential impacts on health service provision.

Method

Study participants included all hospital staff with COVID-19 confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from March 2020 to July 2021. Data were collected on age, gender, occupation, working area, symptoms and vaccination status. We also collected data on pediatric oncology patients and their caregivers to review the hospital screening policy.

Results

Approximately 59% of positive cases among hospital staff occurred in the green zone; 75% were fully vaccinated. Whole-genome sequencing indicated that staff infections in June 2021 were Delta variant. A decrease in cases coincided with government implementation of social activity restriction. When RT-PCR was performed in suspected cases, 3 of 36 pediatric oncology patients and 10 staff tested positive. After routine screening, 8 of 121 patients, 3 patient caregivers, and 5 staff tested positive, all were asymptomatic, and all were infected in the community

Conclusions

Routine testing for staff, patients and caregivers, vaccination booster programs, continuing education of health care workers, and government policy, such as social activity restriction, are needed to protect frontline workers.

Keywords

COVID-19
Delta variant
hospital staff
patient caregiver
routine screening
social activity restriction

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