The Incidence Proportion of SARS-CoV-2 Infections and the Percentage of Deaths among Infected Healthcare Workers in Poland

Abstract

(1) Background: The incidence proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Poland is not exactly known. This study aims to present secondary epidemiological data identifying the scale of the spread of novel coronavirus infection and the estimation of vaccination coverage in selected professional groups of HCWs in Poland. (2) Methods: The secondary epidemiological data included both the number of infections and infection fatality rate (IFR) in individual occupational groups, which occurred throughout the observation period (January 2021–July 2022), both in the country and in individual voivodeship (administrative area). (3) Results: The incidence proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infections among HCWs was 16.48%. The highest percentage of infected workers concerned laboratory scientists (21.62%) and paramedics (18%). The highest frequency of infections among HCWs occurred in the province of Zachodnio-Pomorskie (18.9%). Due to COVID-19, 558 healthcare workers died during the analysed period, mostly nurses (n = 236) and doctors (n = 200). The results regarding the vaccination coverage of HCWs against COVID-19 indicate the highest percentage of vaccinated were among doctors (83.63%) and the lowest among physiotherapists (38.2%). (4) Conclusions: In general, the percentage of infections was high in Poland during the pandemic (16.48%). Significant territorial differences were observed in the frequency of infections, deaths, and percentage of vaccinated workers in individual voivodeships.

Socioeconomic and Health Determinants of the Prevalence of COVID-19 in a Population of Children with Respiratory Diseases and Symptoms

“…It is possible, however, that higher levels of education were related to occupation, perhaps even in the services that were involved in the fight against the pandemic. For example, the results of an analysis of COVID-19 incidence data among healthcare workers in Poland revealed a higher prevalence of infection in the study group than in the general population [31]. However, an attempt to explain the observation indicating a relationship between education and the incidence of COVID-19 based on the results of our study will remain in the realm of speculation and, thus, will not have the hallmarks of scientific inference.…”

Stress, Burnout, and General Mental Health among Healthcare Workers in Poland during the Long-Lasting COVID-19 Pandemic

“…By the 18 July 2023, 767,972,961 people worldwide had contracted COVID-19 (WHO, accessed on 18 July 2023). In Poland, by the 18 July 2023, 6,518,036 people had been infected (200,000 of whom were medics) [16,17]. To limit the spread of COVID-19, governments around the world introduced various types of restrictions and lockdowns [16].…”