Extremely low prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 among healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients in Israeli hospitals: a cross-sectional study. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Temkin, Elizabeth; Temkin, Elizabeth; Schwaber, Mitchell J.; Solter, Ester; Vaturi, Azza; Hen, Dafna; Lugassy, Carmela Gweta; Teitler, Nava; Nutman, Amir; Rubinovitch, Bina; Ben-Zvi, Haim; Shbita, Rana; Wolf, Natalia Halel; Benenson, Shmuel; Gross, Ilana; Slama, Carole; Ottolenghi, Miriam; Gottesman, Tamar; Lev, Shaul; Beilin, Viktoria; Berkov, Evgeny; Cohen, Regev; Fried, Talya Finn; Afraimov, Marina; Shitrit, Pnina; Egozi, Noga Vered; Yassin, Alia; Laderman, Hani; Friedman, Haya; Wiener-Well, Yonit; Ben-Dor, Michal Itach; Ben-David, Debby; Harar, Orna Schwartz; Yakobov, Malka; Yashaev, Shoshana; Marchaim, Dror; Estrin, Inna; Bibliv, Alexandra; Saadon, Hodaya; Ben Yossef, Galit; Carmeli, Yehuda;
• Is Part Of: Clinical microbiology and infection. Volume 27:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 130.e1
• Page End: 130.e4
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Asymptomatic infection -- COVID-19 -- Healthcare workers -- Infection control -- Personal protective equipment; Medical microbiology -- Periodicals; Diagnostic microbiology -- Periodicals; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Infection -- Periodicals; 616.01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.09.040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1198-743X

Abstract

Abstract: Objectives: We aimed to compare the prevalence of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) among clinical staff in designated COVID-19 units versus that among staff in similar units with no known or suspected COVID-19 patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of healthcare workers (HCWs) in eight Israeli general hospitals. The survey involved a questionnaire and a PCR test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We surveyed HCWs in COVID-19 units and comparison units (internal medicine and cardiology) between 30th April and 7th May 2020. Results: There were 522 participants: 291 from COVID-19 units and 231 from comparison units. Only one participant (0.2%, 95%CI: 0.005–1.1%)—an asymptomatic nurse on a COVID-19 unit—tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. In participating COVID-19 units there were two symptomatic HCWs with confirmed COVID-19 in the 2 weeks before the survey; both were infected by contact with a co-worker outside of the COVID-19 unit. Conclusions: The low prevalence of asymptomatic COVID-19 among HCWs, coupled with an absence of symptomatic COVID-19 acquired during patient care, suggest that Israel's national guidelines for personal protective equipment, which are consistent with those of the World Health Organization, adequately protect HCWs.