Coronavirus (COVID-19) Collection
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among 7950 healthcare workers in the Region of Southern Denmark
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) surged as an ongoing worldwide pandemic throughout 2020 (Park et al., 2020; Siordia, 2020). The first Danish cases were reported in late February 2020, and the initial spread of infection most likely originated from ski tourists returning from Northern Italy and Austria (Madsen et al., 2021). The first epidemic wave in Denmark peaked in late March and early April, with 9.2 patients admitted to hospital per 100 000 population (Madsen et al., 2021; Statens Serum Institut 2021).Faster decay of neutralizing antibodies in never infected than previously infected healthcare workers three months after the second BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose
The BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine is known to induce a rapid production of neutralizing antibodies (Lustig et al., 2021; Vicenti et al., 2021b); however, there are very limited data on their long-term kinetics. Favresse et al. (2021b) described a robust humoral response 90 days after the first dose of vaccine both in previously seropositive and seronegative subjects, but a significant antibody decrease in respect to the higher level reached occurred within this period. Interestingly, the administration of a third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine, about two months from the second dose, to solid-organ transplant recipients significantly improved the immunogenicity of the vaccine (Kamar et al., 2021).The role of supporting services in driving SARS-CoV-2 transmission within healthcare settings: A multicenter seroprevalence study
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (causing COVID-19) in December 2019 rapidly evolved into a pandemic, with cumulative numbers of more than 83 million confirmed cases and 1.8 million deaths globally according to WHO (2021a). During the lengthy course of this pandemic, The Lancet (2020) reported that workers within healthcare facilities had been working at maximum capacity for many hours and over many shifts, and in some settings with limited protection. Being a frontline healthcare worker was found to be one of the risk factors for acquiring COVID-19, as shown in many serological studies, such as that by Galanis et al.An Asia-Pacific study on healthcare workers’ perceptions of, and willingness to receive, the COVID-19 vaccination
In the fight against COVID-19, vaccination is vital in achieving herd immunity. Many Asian countries are starting to vaccinate frontline workers; however, expedited vaccine development has led to hesitancy among the general population. We evaluated the willingness of healthcare workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.SARS-CoV-2 infection in mortuary and cemetery workers
As of 15 December 2020, more than 73 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and over 1.6 million deaths have been reported worldwide (Worldometer, 2021). Viral RNA can remain detectable for more than 100 days in 6.6% of patients after clinical recovery from initial infection; 5% their close contacts develop IgG antibodies, suggesting past exposure (Chirathaworn et al., 2020). Asymptomatic people are also well-documented transmitters of infection. Seropositivity for SARS-CoV-2 among healthcare workers varies between 3%–17% (Chen et al., 2020; Fusco et al., 2020).Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibody among healthcare workers in a university hospital in Mallorca, Spain, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease, 2019) is a novel viral disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China (Zhu et al., 2020). Due to its alarming spread, disease severity, number of affected countries, and number of deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11th March 2020 (World Health Organization, 2020). To date (15th February 2021), there have been more than 106 million confirmed cases and more than two million deaths worldwide (European Centre for Disease Prevention and control, 2020).The first wave of COVID-19 in hospital staff members of a tertiary care hospital in the greater Paris area: A surveillance and risk factors study
Healthcare workers (HCWs) are deemed to be at high risk of exposure to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), with a potential risk of transmission to vulnerable patients (Keeley et al., 2020; Galmiche et al., 2020). In Japan, Furuse et al. have shown that 30% of clusters identified in reported Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases are linked to healthcare facilities (Furuse et al., 2020). Hospitals have initiated infection control measures to protect HCWs, ensure workforce availability, and decrease in-hospital transmission risk.COVID-19 and healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
On 21 December 2019, a pneumonia-like outbreak of an unknown cause or origin was found to be emerging in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Due to the rapidly increasing cases and unclear protocol regarding medical care, bronchoalveolar lavage samples of patients were isolated and analysed by 03 January 2020. The reports showcased a new strain of coronavirus, initially termed 2019-nCoVs by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Zhang, 2020) and then later named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.COVID-19 hospital outbreaks: Protecting healthcare workers to protect frail patients. An Italian observational cohort study
In Italy, as of May 20, 2020, a high severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection rate among healthcare workers (HCWs) has been described; among them, 26,657 were infected, corresponding to 11.7% of all Italian cases. In this regard, almost 80% worked in the hospital setting or in an extra-hospital emergency system (Italian College of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità - ISS, 2020).Characteristics of healthcare workers infected with COVID-19: A cross-sectional observational study
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging infectious disease that was first identified in China in December 2019. It is caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and later on March 11, 2020, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic (Gan et al., 2020). In Oman, the first two cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed on February 24, 2020; both cases were travel-related (Khamis et al., 2020).COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers in a national healthcare system: The Qatar experience
Since the identification of first case cluster in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has swept the entire world. The pandemic has overwhelmed hospital capacity and existing healthcare resources in many countries. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are a particularly high-risk group due to their close interactions with infected persons as well as lack or deficiency of personal protective equipment (PPE) in many settings. The rate of infection in HCWs is reported to vary between 3 and 17% and varies according to the history and degree of exposure and presence of symptoms (Lan et al., 2020; Fusco et al., 2020; El-Boghdadly et al., 2020; Chen et al., 2020).
