COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study in southwest Iran

Abstract

Objective: With the novel coronavirus pandemic, the impact on the healthcare system and workers cannot be overlooked. However, studies on the infection status of medical personnel are still lacking. It is imperative to ensure the safety of health-care workers (HCWs) not only to safeguard continuous patient care but also to ensure they do not transmit the virus, therefore evaluation infection rates in these groups are indicated.Methods: Demographic and clinical data regarding infected cases among HCWs of Fars, Iran with positive SARS‐CoV‐2 PCR tests were obtained from 10th March to 16th May.Results: Our data demonstrated a rate of 5.62% (273 out of 4854 cases) infection among HCW, with a mean age of 35 years and a dominance of female cases (146 cases: 53.5%). The majority of infected cases were among nurses (51.3%) while the most case infection rate (CIR) was among physicians (27 out of 842 performed test (3.2%)). Also, the highest rate of infection was in the emergency rooms (30.6%). Also, 35.5% of the patients were asymptomatic and the most frequent clinical features among symptomatic patients were myalgia (46%) and cough (45.5%). Although 5.5% were admitted to hospitals, there were no reports of ICU admission. Furthermore, 10.3% of the cases reported transmitting the infection to family and friends. Regarding safety precautions, 1.6% didn't wear masks and 18.7% didn't use gloves in work environments. Conclusion: HCWs are among the highest groups at risk of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, analysis of the infection status of these groups is vital to maintain enough attention from the public, provide effective suggestions for government agencies and expanding protective measures is essential to decrease infection rates.

Methylprednisolone or dexamethasone, which one is superior corticosteroid in the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients: a triple-blinded randomized controlled trial

“…The outbreak was first described in December 2019 as a cluster of acute respiratory illnesses in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, which until January 15, 2021, infected over 93 million cases and caused over 2,000,000 deaths in 218 countries around the world [ 5 ]. Furthermore, the disease has impacted various aspects, from the healthcare system and workers, [ 6 ] diagnosis and management dilemmas and overlapping with other diseases [ 7 – 9 ], along with its significant mental and emotional impact on the public [ 10 – 12 ].…”

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak: A Nationwide Survey in Iran

“…[41,42] This issue has caused a dramatic social concern leading people to excessively purchasing and hoarding medical supplies, resulting in a shortage in other areas. Also, the pandemic had a signi cant impact on the healthcare workers with a high mortality rate [43] Every member of the medical staff who died from the disease was declared a martyr and a national hero; this re ected the moral dimension of the issue and helped strengthen efforts to combat the disease and win public support for health workers.…”

Comparison of lidocaine, huffing maneuver and combination of both in prevention fentanyl induced cough before induction of anesthesia: a double-blind, prospective, randomized placebo-controlled study

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