Possible transmission of Covid-19 infection among healthcare professionals; first defense to early wave of the pandemic

Abstract

Objective: Healthcare professionals play an essential role in the COVID-19 pandemic on the front lines. There have been a limited number of publications and national status reports on COVID-19 infected healthcare professionals. We aimed to determine the factors that play a role in transmitting COVID-19 infection to healthcare professionals.
 Material and methods: Among healthcare professionals, those evaluated as a possible COVID-19 case and whose Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests were studied in our Emergency Service and Employee Health Polyclinic were included in the study. Age, gender, task, unit, working in COVID-19 units, Thorax Computerized Tomography (CT) and PCR test result, hospitalization status, suspicious contact, and appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the work environment and social environment were investigated.
 Results: A total of 369 cases were included in the study. 54.7% (n = 207) of potential COVID-19 healthcare professionals worked in COVID-19 units, 22.5% (n = 83) had PCR positive. Employee groups with the highest PCR positivity rate were security guards (88.9%), cleaning staff (31.6%), doctors (26.3%) and nurses (18.8%), respectively. When contact histories with COVID-19 infection were examined; 46.3% of the cases had in-hospital social contact (PCR positivity rate 21.6%), 39.6% had a history of contact with COVID-19 patients (PCR positivity rate 11%). It was determined that 3.3% of the cases (n = 12) were treated in the COVID-19 service, 0.3% (n = 1) was hospitalized in intensive care, 26% (n = 96) were isolated at home, and 70.5 % (n = 260) continued to work. All of the participants were discharged after treatment and returned to their duties.
 Conclusion: Adequate training should be given to healthcare professionals to protect them against COVID-19 infection. Additionally, healthcare professionals should show the care to prevent infection in social areas inside and outside the hospital as well as at contact points with patients.