COVID-19 in Health-Care Workers: A Living Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence, Risk Factors, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes

Abstract

Health care workers (HCW) are at the frontline response to the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), being at a higher risk of acquiring the disease, and subsequently, exposing patients and colleagues. Searches in eight bibliographic databases were performed to systematically review the evidence on the prevalence, risk factors, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among HCW. Ninety-seven studies (All published in 2020), including 230,398 HCW, met the inclusion criteria. From the screened HCW using RT-PCR and the presence of antibodies, the estimated prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 11% (95%CI; 7%-15%) and 7% (95% CI; 4%-11%), respectively. The most frequently affected personnel were the nurses (48%. 95%CI; 41%-56%), while most of the COVID-19 positive medical personnel were working in hospitalization/non-emergency wards during the screening (43%, 95%CI;28%-59%). Anosmia, fever and myalgia were identified as the only symptoms associated with HCW SARS-CoV-2 positivity. Among RT-PCR positive HCW, 40% (95%CI;17%-65%) did not show symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Finally, 5% (95%CI;3%-8%) of the COVID-19 positive HCW developed severe clinical complications, and 0.5% (95% CI; 0.02%-1.3%) died. HCW suffer a significant burden from COVID-19, with HCW working in hospitalization/non-emergency wards and nurses being the most infected personnel.

The Many Faces of Covid-19 at a Glance: A University Hospital Multidisciplinary Account From Milan, Italy

“…In judging our model's effectiveness we underline that our organization never implied that doctors in the ICUs had to decide which patients to save, mortality 29.6% ( Figure 1 ) corresponded to the average in the Lombardy area (and few staff members became infected (4%) again in line with values reported in Italy. A Spanish study reported 11% of infected staff ( 73 ). Mortality in other Italian hospitals in northern Italy varied between 43.6% ( 74 ) and 23.2% ( 75 ).…”

Re: “Covid-19 in Health-Care Workers: A Living Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence, Risk Factors, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes”

“…In the original version of the article “COVID-19 in Health-Care Workers: A Living Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prevalence, Risk Factors, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes” by Gómez-Ochoa et al ( 1 ) that posted online on September 1, 2020, an incorrect figure was used as Figure 1. The article has been updated online.…”

Prevalence of COVID-19 Among Typical Ambulatory Care Patients in a District General Hospital in the United Kingdom

“…Frontline HCWs are particularly at high risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection [5]. A meta-analysis found that the overall proportion of HCW who tested positive for SARS-Co-2 was 11% [10], but another study based on surveillance data from 15 European countries including the UK reported it to be 23.2% from a total of 124,796 reported cases [11]. Majority of HCW reported contact in the healthcare setting (55% in the USA) [12].…”