Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

December 8, 2020

SARS-Coronavirus-2 Cases in Healthcare Workers May Not Regularly Originate from Patient Care: Lessons from a University Hospital on the Underestimated Risk of Healthcare Worker to Healthcare Worker Transmission

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Investigation of 4 healthcare-associated SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks at a hospital in Germany resulting in 24 infected people suggests healthcare worker (HCW)-to-HCW transmission as the primary mechanism of spread rather than patient-to-HCW transmission. Further investigation showed multiple unprotected contacts between infected HCWs, and no further outbreaks were reported after implementation of contact tracing, testing, physical distancing and mandatory mask use among HCWs and staff.

Schneider et al. (Dec 7, 2020). SARS-Coronavirus-2 Cases in Healthcare Workers May Not Regularly Originate from Patient Care: Lessons from a University Hospital on the Underestimated Risk of Healthcare Worker to Healthcare Worker Transmission. Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-020-00848-w