LAUSR

Abstract Aim To investigate the specific risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission among HCWs in a tertiary care university hospital. Methods Upper respiratory samples of HCWs were tested for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. A case-control study was conducted to explore the possible risk factors that lead to SARS-CoV-2 transmission to HCWs. Results Of 703 HCWs screened between March 20 and May 20, 2020, 50 (7.1%) were found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2. The positivity rates for SARS-CoV-2 among physicians, nurses, cleaning personnel, and the other occupations were 6.3%, 8.0%, 9.1%, and 2.6%, respectively. The infection rate was 8.3% among HCWs who worked in COVID-19 units and 3.4% among those who did not work in COVID-19 units (RR = 2.449, CI = 1.062–5.649, p = .027). The presence of a SARS-CoV-2 positive person in the household (p = .016), inappropriate use of personnel protective equipment (PPE) while caring for patients with COVID-19 infection (p = .003), staying in the same personnel break room as an HCW without a medical mask for more than 15 minutes (p = .000), consuming food within one meter of an HCW (p = .003), and failure to keep a safe social distance from an HCW (p = .003) were statistically significant risk factors for infection. Conclusion HCWs have a high risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission while providing care to COVID-19 patients. Transmission may also occur in non-medical areas of the hospital while speaking or eating. Periodic screening of HCWs for SARS-CoV-2 may enable early detection and isolation of infected HCWs.