February 4, 2021

ARS-CoV-2 Transmission from the Healthcare Setting into the Home a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Transmission

Keywords (Tags): health care workers, transmission

[Pre-print, not peer reviewed] In cohort study  in England (n=633), seroprevalence for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was higher among healthcare workers (HCWs) than the general population (18% vs 7%). Longitudinal analysis showed that seroprevalence for all immunoglobins declined over time, from overall positivity of 17% to 7% within 3 months. Seroprevalence was similar between household contacts of HCW (n=178 contacts of 137 HCW) and the general population, but individuals who were living with a seropositive HCW were 7-times as likely to be seropositive themselves compared to those living with a non-seropositive HCW. Accounting for waning seropositivity, the study estimates that the proportion of those living with a seropositive HCW who were themselves seropositive could have been as high as 44% at the height of the first wave. 

Craxford et al. (Feb 3, 2021). SARS-CoV-2 Transmission from the Healthcare Setting into the Home a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. Pre-print downloaded Feb 4 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.01.21250950