Assessment and Impact of the Risk of Exposure of Portuguese Biomedical Scientists in the Context of COVID-19.

Ana Sofia R Tavares,Luís Calmeiro,Renato Abreu,Nuno Medeiros,Céu Leitão,Patrícia Alves,Fernando Bellém

doi:10.3390/ijerph18137097

Abstract

Currently, the main public health concern worldwide is the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, which was recently discovered and described. Due to its high pathogenicity and infectiousness, it is necessary to determine the risk healthcare professionals face every day while dealing with infected patients and contaminated biological samples. The purpose of this study was to assess Portuguese Biomedical Scientists’ risk of COVID-19 exposure and related stress appraisals. One hundred and forty participants completed online versions of the WHO’s Risk Assessment and Management of Exposure Survey and the Stress Appraisal Measure. Participants worked mainly in outpatient settings (45%), and in emergency services (28%). Twenty three percent of participants were exposed to COVID-19 through community exposure, and 39% through occupational exposure. Although 95% reported using personal protective equipment (PPE), 83.6% were at high risk of infection. However, the use of some types of PPE was related to the risk of exposure. Participants reported moderate perceptions of stress and threat, but also moderate perceptions of control over the situation. These results may contribute to a more efficient risk management of these professionals and prevent disease transmission in hospitals and communities.

Highlights

Pandemic transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new and emerging public health concern.Coronaviruses are ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses, widely spread among humans, other mammals, and birds [1]
This cross-sectional study was conducted among biomedical scientists who work in Portuguese health institutions, public or private, with potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or their secretions and biological material contaminated by SARS-CoV2
This value is slightly higher than the value found by Ashinyo et al [29], who estimated an occupational risk of 80.4% for clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers of designated COVID-19 treatment centers in Ghana

Summary

Introduction

Coronaviruses are ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses, widely spread among humans, other mammals, and birds [1] They can cause multiple infections in animals and humans, especially respiratory diseases [2]. Data strongly suggest that the transmission of this virus from person to person is more frequent during close contact [3], in the early stages of unsuspected infections, when viral loads tend to be high [4]. It can occur through contact with contaminated surfaces and objects, mainly through respiratory droplets containing viral particles released by infected persons [5]. Droplets can settle on objects or surfaces that surround the infected person and infect other people when they touch these objects or surfaces with their hands, touching their eyes, nose or mouth [5]

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