A surveillance system to detect COVID-19 infections in health care workers. Experience in 209 cases

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.