SARS-CoV-2 infection in health care workers: a retrospective analysis and a model study

BackgroundThere had been a preliminary occurrence of human-to-human transmissions between healthcare workers (HCWs), but risk factors in the susceptibility for COVID-19, and infection patterns among HCWs have largely remained unknown.

MethodsRetrospective data collection on demographics, lifestyles, contact status with infected subjects for 118 HCWs (include 12 COVID-19 HCWs) from a single-center. Sleep quality and working pressure were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and The Nurse Stress Index (NSI), respectively. Follow-up duration was from Dec 25, 2019, to Feb 15, 2020. Risk factors and transmission models of COVID-19 among HCWs were analyzed and constructed.

FindingsA high proportion of COVID-19 HCWs had engaged in night shift-work (75.0% vs. 40.6%) and felt they were working under pressure (66.7% vs. 32.1%) than uninfected HCWs. COVID-19 HCWs had higher total scores of PSQI and NSI than uninfected HCWs. Furthermore, these scores were both positively associated with COVID-19 risk. An individual-based model (IBM) estimated the outbreak duration among HCWs in a non-typical COVID-19 ward at 62-80 days and the basic reproduction number R0 =1.27 [1.06, 1.61]. By reducing the average contact rate per HCW by a 1.35 factor and susceptibility by a 1.40 factor, we can avoid an outbreak of the basic case among HCWs.

InterpretationPoor sleep quality and high working pressure were positively associated with high risks of COVID-19. A novel IBM of COVID-19 transmission is suitable for simulating different outbreak patterns in a hospital setting.

FundingFundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities