November 16, 2020

Critical Care Workers Have Lower Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Compared with Non-Patient Facing Staff in First Wave of COVID19

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Clinical Characteristics and Health Care Setting

Keywords (Tags): health care setting

[Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Loss of smell was a reliable predictor of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in a study that screened over 500 healthcare workers at a regional critical care center in the UK. While 45% of participants reported symptoms potentially consistent with COVID-19, the overall seroprevalence was 14%. There was a significant difference in seropositivity between staff in clinical and non-clinical roles (9% patient facing critical care, 15% patient facing non-critical care, 22% not patient facing), which the authors note could be a result of stricter adherence to PPE guidelines in critical care settings. Among seropositive individuals, symptom severity increased with age for men but not for women, and there was no relationship between symptom severity and age or sex in the seronegative cohort who reported symptoms. 

Baxendale et al. (Nov 13, 2020). Critical Care Workers Have Lower Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Compared with Non-Patient Facing Staff in First Wave of COVID19. MedRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.12.20145318