Sources of healthcare workers' COVID‑19 infections and related safety guidelines

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dc.contributorAalto-yliopistofi
dc.contributorAalto Universityen
dc.contributor.authorOksanen, Lotta Maria A.H.
dc.contributor.authorSanmark, Enni
dc.contributor.authorOksanen, Sampo A.
dc.contributor.authorAnttila, Veli Jukka
dc.contributor.authorPaterno, Jussi J.
dc.contributor.authorLappalainen, Maija
dc.contributor.authorLehtonen, Lasse
dc.contributor.authorGeneid, Ahmed
dc.contributor.departmentUniversity of Helsinki
dc.contributor.departmentNordic Healthcare Group
dc.contributor.departmentUniversity of Eastern Finland
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Accountingen
dc.date.accessioned2021-08-04T06:40:19Z
dc.date.available2021-08-04T06:40:19Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.descriptionFunding Information: This work was supported by the Helsinki University Hospital (research grant No. Y1014KN025, grant manager: Leena-Maija Aaltonen). Received: October 4, 2020. Accepted: January 28, 2021. Corresponding author: Lotta-Maria Adele Helena Oksanen, Helsinki University Hospital Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics – Head and Neck Surgery, Maistraatinportti 2, PO Box 250, 00029 Helsinki, Finland (e-mail: lotta.oksanen@hus.fi). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.
dc.description.abstractObjectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of safety guidelines in the workplace, the authors analyzed the work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and the source of COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers (HCWs), together with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted in tertiary hospitals in the Uusimaa region, Finland, with 1072 volunteers being enrolled in the study from among the HCWs at the Helsinki University Hospital. Overall, 866 (80.8%) HCWs (including 588 nurses, 170 doctors, and 108 laboratory and medical imaging nurses) completed the questionnaire by July 15, 2020, with 52% of the participants taking care of COVID-19 patients. The participants answered a structured questionnaire regarding their use of PPE, the ability to follow safety guidelines, exposure to COVID-19, and the source of potential COVID-19 infections. The participants with COVID-19 symptoms were tested with the SARS-CoV-2 real-time polymerase chain reaction method. All infected participants were contacted, and their answers were confirmed regarding COVID-19 exposure. Results: In total, 41 (4.7%) participants tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, with 22 (53.6%) of infections being confirmed or likely occupational, and 12 (29.3%) originating from colleagues. In 14 cases (63.6%), occupational infections occurred while using a surgical mask, and all infections originating from patients occurred while using a surgical mask or no mask at all. No occupational infections were found while using an FFP2/3 respirator and following aerosol precautions. The combined odds ratio for working at an intensive care unit, an emergency department, or a ward was 3.4 (95% CI: 1.2-9.2, p = 0.016). Conclusions: A high infection rate was found among HCWs despite safety guidelines. Based on these findings, the authors recommend the use of FFP2/3 respirators in all patient contacts with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, along with the use of universal masking, also in personnel rooms.en
dc.description.versionPeer revieweden
dc.format.extent11
dc.format.extent239-249
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.citationOksanen , L M A H , Sanmark , E , Oksanen , S A , Anttila , V J , Paterno , J J , Lappalainen , M , Lehtonen , L & Geneid , A 2021 , ' Sources of healthcare workers' COVID‑19 infections and related safety guidelines ' , INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH , vol. 34 , no. 2 , pp. 239-249 . https://doi.org/10.13075/IJOMEH.1896.01741en
dc.identifier.doi10.13075/IJOMEH.1896.01741
dc.identifier.issn1232-1087
dc.identifier.otherPURE UUID: 43fd8ffd-0abc-473b-a168-22394012a3cb
dc.identifier.otherPURE ITEMURL: https://research.aalto.fi/en/publications/43fd8ffd-0abc-473b-a168-22394012a3cb
dc.identifier.otherPURE LINK: http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107710983&partnerID=8YFLogxK
dc.identifier.otherPURE FILEURL: https://research.aalto.fi/files/65366175/Sources_of_healthcare.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/108865
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:fi:aalto-202108048109
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherSpringer Verlag
dc.relation.ispartofseriesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTHen
dc.relation.ispartofseriesVolume 34, issue 2en
dc.rightsopenAccessen
dc.subject.keywordCOVID-19
dc.subject.keywordHealth personnel
dc.subject.keywordInfectious disease transmission
dc.subject.keywordMasks
dc.subject.keywordN95 respirators
dc.subject.keywordOccupational exposure
dc.titleSources of healthcare workers' COVID‑19 infections and related safety guidelinesen
dc.typeA1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessäfi
dc.type.versionpublishedVersion
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