Abstract
Healthcare personnel are a high-risk group for acquiring COVID-19 disease. They represent 4 to 20% of the total number of cases reported in different geographical areas. To describe an epidemiological surveillance strategy to detect symptoms compatible with SARS-CoV-2 infection and early case detection among healthcare personnel at a university hospital. We assessed 209 healthcare workers reporting symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 in a telephone counseling system. After a structured evaluation, the suggestions ranged from having a SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR test, consulting in the emergency room or at outpatient clinic or returning to work. In 61% of assessed workers a coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR was requested and 28 (22%) were positive. In a multivariate analysis, the clinical variables associated with a positive PCR test were the presence of fever, sudden loss of smell or taste, and a history of contact with a COVID-19 positive case. The telephone symptom monitoring program allowed the early detection of a significant number of healthcare officials with acute respiratory infection due to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, it is easy to implement and has a low cost.
Highlights
Healthcare personnel are a high-risk group for acquiring COVID-19 disease. They represent 4 to 20% of the total number of cases reported in different geographical areas
The suggestions ranged from having a SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab PCR test, consulting in the emergency room or at outpatient clinic or returning to work
The clinical variables associated with a positive PCR test were the presence of fever, sudden loss of smell or taste, and a history of contact with a COVID-19 positive case
Summary
Respiratorias, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Correspondencia a: Rodrigo Poblete Umanzor Sebastián Elcano 1310, Casa 6, Las Condes. Rodrigo Poblete Umanzor[1], Fernando Saldías Peñafiel[2], Natalia Sabatini Ugarte[3], Andy Vite Valverde[2], Alejandro Ceriani Bravo[4], Soledad Schaffeld Pernas[5], Luz María Letelier Saavedra[1], José Ignacio Gran Scheuch[6], Ricardo Rabagliati Borie[7].
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