Introduction This study examines the frequency, associated factors, and characteristics of healthcare personnel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in a healthcare department that comprises a tertiary hospital and its associated 12 primary healthcare centers. Methods This study included healthcare personnel that showed symptoms or were in contact with a COVID-19 case patient from March 2 to April 19, 2020. Their evolution and characteristics (age, sex, professional category, type of contact) were recorded. Correlations between the different characteristics and risk of developing COVID-19 and severe COVID-19 were analyzed using chi-square tests. Their magnitudes were quantified with ORs, AORs, and their 95% CIs using a logistic regression model. Results Of the 3,900 healthcare professionals in the department, 1,791 (45.9%) showed symptoms or were part of a contact tracing study. The prevalence of those with symptoms was 20.1% (784/3,900; 95% CI=18.8%, 21.4%), with COVID-19 was 4.0% (156/3,900; 95% CI=3.4%, 4.6%), and with severe COVID-19 was 0.5% (18/3,900; 95% CI=0.2%, 0.7%). The frequency of COVID-19 in symptomatic healthcare personnel with a non-protected exposure was 22.8% (112/491) and 13.7% (40/293) in those with a protected exposure (AOR=2.2, 95% CI=1.2, 3.9). The service in which the healthcare personnel performed their activity was not significantly associated with being diagnosed with COVID-19. A total of 26.3% (10/38) of male healthcare personnel with COVID-19 required hospitalization, compared with 6.8% (8/118) among female healthcare personnel (OR=4.9, 95% CI=1.8, 13.6). Conclusions A surveillance and monitoring program centered around healthcare personnel enables an understanding of the risk factors that lead to COVID-19 among this population. This knowledge allows the refinement of the strategies for disease control and prevention in healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de anticuerpos IgG frente a SARS-CoV-2 en profesionales sanitarios (PS) de un Departamento Sanitario (DS). Métodos: Estudio de prevalencia. Se determinó la presencia de anticuerpos IgG frente a SARS-CoV-2 en los PS del DS. La determinación se realizó mediante la técnica de ELISA. El trabajo de campo se realizó del 24/04/2020 al 08/05/2020. Se recogió edad, sexo, estamento (facultativo, enfermería, etc.) y área de trabajo (atención primaria, urgencias, etc.). Se calculó la prevalencia de anticuerpos IgG frente a SARS-CoV-2 con su intervalo de confianza al 95% (IC95%). Para estudiar la asociación entre las características de los PS y la presencia de IgG se utilizó la prueba de la Ji Cuadrado y para cuantificar la magnitud de asociación se calculó la Odds Ratio (IC95%). Resultados: De los 4813 PS del DS participaron 4179 (87,1%). De éstos el 73,3% (3065) eran mujeres y el 26,7% (1114) hombres. La prevalencia global de presencia de anticuerpos IgG frente a SARS-CoV-2 fue del 6,6% (IC95%:5,8%-7,3%). Hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas según estamento, oscilando del 8,7% (IC95%:6,9%-10,6%) en facultativos a un 3,2% (IC95%:1,0%-8,0%) en otro personal no sanitario. El resto de características no se asociaron de forma significativa a la presencia de anticuerpos frente a SARS-CoV-2. Conclusión: La frecuencia de infección por SARS-CoV-2 en PS es similar a la estimada para la población general en grandes ciudades en España, lo que orienta sobre la efectividad del programa de prevención y control de infecciones dirigido a los profesionales sanitarios en este Departamento Sanitario.

Objective Estimate IgG antibody prevalence against SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare personnel (HCP) of a healthcare department (HD). Method Prevalence study. The presence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was determined in HCP of the HD. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) tests were used. Field work took place from April 24, 2020 to May 8, 2020. The age, sex, occupation (physician, nurse, etc.) and the work area (Primary Care, Emergency Room, etc.) were gathered. The IgG antibody prevalence was then calculated with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). To study the association between HCP characteristics and the presence IgG the Chi Square test was used, and to study the magnitude of association, the Odds Ratio (95% CI) was calculated. Results Of the 4813 HCP in the HD, 4179 (87,1%) participated. Of these, 73,3% (3065) were women and 26,7% (1114) men. The global prevalence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was 6,6% (95% CI: 5,8–7,3). There were statistically significant differences depending on the occupation, from 8,7% (95% CI: 6,9-10,6) on medics down to 3,2% (95% CI: 1,0-8,0) on personnel not associated with health care. The other characteristics did not associate significantly to antibody presence against SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion The SARS-CoV-2 infection frequency in HCP is similar to the estimated in the general population for big cities in Spain. This highlights the effectiveness of the infection control and prevention programme in this healthcare department targeted at healthcare personnel.

Objective. To assess the validity of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen (Ag) detection for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in mildly infected or asymptomatic patients. Material and methods. Observational study to evaluate diagnostic tests. Non-hospitalized patients with indication for diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection were included. The diagnostic test to be evaluated was the determination of Ag and as a reference standard to determine the presence of viral RNA the RT-PCR was used. Results. A total of 494 patients were included. Of these 71.5% (353/494) had symptoms and 28.5% (141/494) were asymptomatic (presurgery screening (35/494) and confirmed case-contact (106/494). The overall sensitivity of the Ag test was 61.1% and the specificity was 99.7%. The sensitivity and specificity in the asymptomatic group were 40% and 100% respectively, and in the symptomatic group 63.5% and 99.6% respectively. In turn, the sensitivity and specificity in the group of symptomatic patients varied according to the time of symptom evolution: in patients with recent symptoms, they were 71.4% and 99.6% respectively, while in patients with symptoms of more than 5 days of evolution, they were 26.7% and 100% respectively. In all groups studied, the presence of antigen is associated with a high viral load (Ct<30 cycles). Conclusions. The use of Ag detection test is not indicated for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection in asymptomatic patients or with symptoms of more than 5 days of evolution, but it could be useful in patients with symptoms of 1-5 days of evolution.

Background The impact of COVID-19 triggered an unparalleled effort towards the development of a vaccine given that vaccination is currently the most important strategy available for controlling the pandemic. Achieving high levels of vaccination coverage is key to this approach, and requires knowledge of user satisfaction levels. Thus, the objective of this work was to determine the levels of satisfaction with the COVID-19 vaccination program among vaccinated school workers.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study which included the staff from educational centres invited for vaccination over 4 days at the Hospital General University Hospital of Alicante. The survey included sociodemographic variables, 13 questions on satisfaction with the vaccination program, and one open question for further suggestions. Satisfaction was calculated globally for each question and specifically by employing Student t-tests; the association between each variable and a high level of satisfaction was analysed with Chi-squared tests. Results Of 9,869 professionals invited, 9,261 attended the appointment; 5,756 were offered the possibility of participating in this survey and 2,989 (51.9%) accepted. The highest overall scores were assigned to the treatment patients received at the ‘registration point’ and the care they received from nurses during the vaccination. The aspect for which the lowest levels of satisfaction were registered was for the information received prior to vaccination. Sex and place of work were significantly associated with a high degree of satisfaction.Conclusions Understanding people’s perception of vaccination programs is essential to implementing improvements and to increase vaccination coverage. The level of satisfaction among school personnel was remarkably high, especially in relation to the treatment and attention they received at different points during the vaccination care circuit.