Predictors of COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers who were Exposed to COVID-19

Background: We described the outcomes of healthcare workers (HCWs) who have been exposed to COVID-19. Materials and Methods: We included the HCWs exposed COVID-19 and admitted to the COVID-19 outpatient clinic between March 13 and August 31, 2020, at a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey. The clinical data and exposure status were retrospectively obtained from medical records. Results: We analyzed 809 admissions of 690 HCWs. In total, 490 HCWs were admitted after suspected exposure to COVID-19 patients. In 32% of these admissions, typical symptoms were observed, and 15% of them developed COVID-19. Polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2 was positive in %10 of asymptomatic HCWs. Exposure outside the hospital was 2.3 times more common (OR 2.28, p=0.020, CI 1.141-4.543) than exposure in the hospital. In the hospital setting, exposure to a patient was 1.6 times higher than social contact with colleagues during work. Male gender and occupations other than doctors were independent risk factors. Among HCWs diagnosed with COVID-19, 13% required hospitalization; fortunately, there were no intensive care unit admissions and no deaths. Conclusion: After suspected exposure, HCWs should be screened for SARS-CoV-2 and monitored closely for symptom development. Strict infection control precautions and appropriate personal protective equipment use are crucial to reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 both in the hospital setting and in social life. Keywords: Healthcare worker (HCW), COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, exposure, asymptomatic infection