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Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivity among Emergency Department Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Center in Baltimore
- Source :
- Healthcare, Vol 10, Iss 3, p 576 (2022)
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2022.
-
Abstract
- Early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March–July 2020 in Baltimore), emergency department (ED) healthcare workers (HCWs) were considered to be at greater risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Limited data existed, however, on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its impact in this workforce population. We enrolled 191 ED HCWs from a tertiary academic center, administered baseline and weekly surveys, and tested them twice (July and December 2020) for serum antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Approximately 6% (11 of 191, 5.8%) of ED HCWs had spike antibodies in July, a prevalence that doubled by December (21 of 174, 12.1%). A positive PCR test was self-reported by 15 of 21 (71%) seropositive and 6 of 153 (4%) seronegative HCWs (p < 0.001). Of the total 27 HCWs who had antibodies and/or were PCR positive, none required hospitalization, 18 (67%) had a self-perceived COVID-19 illness, and 12 of the 18 reported symptoms. The median number of missed workdays was 8.5 (ranging from 2 to 21). While most seropositive ED HCWs who reported symptoms took work absences, none required hospitalization, indicating that COVID-19’s impact on staffing prior to vaccination was not as great as feared.
- Subjects :
- SARS-CoV-2
seroprevalence
healthcare workers
emergency department
Medicine
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 22279032
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Healthcare
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.8e90542e4b9d4d2a8cdb10a2fcf5c700
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030576