TY - JOUR
T1 - The front-line during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic
T2 - healthcare personnel
AU - Kang, Minji
AU - Perl, Trish M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/8/1
Y1 - 2021/8/1
N2 - PURPOSE of reviewAn estimated four to 11% of reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases occurs in healthcare personnel (HCP). HCP are at high risk of acquiring and transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) given their close contact with individuals with recognized and unrecognized COVID-19. We summarize the literature to date describing the epidemiology, identifying risk factors associated with COVID-19, and analyzing clinical characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCP.Recent findingsThe prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among HCP ranges from 0.7 to 45%. Although there is heterogeneity in the seroprevalence rate reported in the literature, HCP may be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection from exposure to patients with COVID-19. The literature supports that this can be minimized with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) supply, proper hand hygiene, appropriate PPE use, and other infection prevention measures. In addition, infections in HCP are commonly acquired in the community as well as in nonclinical care settings including break rooms or work rooms.SummaryWhile much focus has been on minimizing patient-to-HCP transmission of SARS-CoV-2, additional efforts are needed to prevent exposures in nonclinical care settings and in the community.
AB - PURPOSE of reviewAn estimated four to 11% of reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases occurs in healthcare personnel (HCP). HCP are at high risk of acquiring and transmitting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) given their close contact with individuals with recognized and unrecognized COVID-19. We summarize the literature to date describing the epidemiology, identifying risk factors associated with COVID-19, and analyzing clinical characteristics and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HCP.Recent findingsThe prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among HCP ranges from 0.7 to 45%. Although there is heterogeneity in the seroprevalence rate reported in the literature, HCP may be at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection from exposure to patients with COVID-19. The literature supports that this can be minimized with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) supply, proper hand hygiene, appropriate PPE use, and other infection prevention measures. In addition, infections in HCP are commonly acquired in the community as well as in nonclinical care settings including break rooms or work rooms.SummaryWhile much focus has been on minimizing patient-to-HCP transmission of SARS-CoV-2, additional efforts are needed to prevent exposures in nonclinical care settings and in the community.
KW - coronavirus disease 2019
KW - healthcare personnel
KW - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110809790&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000734
DO - 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000734
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34227581
AN - SCOPUS:85110809790
SN - 0951-7375
VL - 34
SP - 372
EP - 383
JO - Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
JF - Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases
IS - 4
ER -