Moolla Muhammad S, Parker Arifa, Parker Mohammed A, Sithole Sthembiso, Amien Leila, Chiecktey Rubeena, Bawa Tasneem, Mowlana Abdurasiet
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Services, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
S Afr J Infect Dis. 2021 Jan 22;36(1):232. doi: 10.4102/sajid.v36i1.232. eCollection 2021.
Healthcare workers are at increased risk of contracting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and potentially causing institutional outbreaks. Staff testing is critical in identifying and isolating infected individuals, whilst also reducing unnecessary workforce depletion. Tygerberg Hospital implemented an online pre-registration system to expedite staff and cluster testing. We aimed to identify specific presentations associated with a positive or negative result for SARS-CoV-2.
A retrospective descriptive study design involving all clients making use of the hospital's pre-registration system during May 2020.
Of 799 clients, most were young and females with few comorbidities. Nurses formed the largest staff contingent in the study, followed by administrative staff, doctors and general assistants. Doctors tested earlier compared with other staff (median: 1.5 vs. 4 days). The most frequent presenting symptoms included headache, sore throat, cough and myalgia. Amongst those testing positive ( = 105), fever, altered smell, altered taste sensation, and chills were the most common symptoms. Three or more symptoms were more predictive of a positive test, but 12/145 asymptomatic clients also tested positive.
Staff coronavirus testing using an online pre-registration form is a viable and acceptable strategy. Whilst some presentations are less likely to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, no symptom can completely exclude it. Staff testing should form part of a bundle of strategies to protect staff, including wearing masks, regular handwashing, buddy screening, physical distancing, availability of personal protective equipment and special dispensation for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related leave.
医护人员感染严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的风险增加，并有可能导致机构内疫情爆发。员工检测对于识别和隔离受感染个体至关重要，同时还能减少不必要的劳动力损耗。泰格堡医院实施了一个在线预注册系统，以加快员工和聚集性检测。我们旨在确定与SARS-CoV-2检测呈阳性或阴性结果相关的特定表现。
一项回顾性描述性研究设计，涉及2020年5月期间使用医院预注册系统的所有客户。
在799名客户中，大多数是年轻女性，合并症较少。护士是研究中最大的员工群体，其次是行政人员、医生和普通助理。与其他员工相比，医生更早进行检测（中位数：1.5天对4天）。最常见的症状包括头痛、喉咙痛、咳嗽和肌痛。在检测呈阳性的人群中（n = 1），发热、嗅觉改变、味觉改变和寒战是最常见的症状。三种或更多症状更能预测检测呈阳性，但12/145名无症状客户检测也呈阳性。
使用在线预注册表进行员工冠状病毒检测是一种可行且可接受的策略。虽然某些表现与SARS-CoV-2感染的关联较小，但没有任何症状可以完全排除感染。员工检测应成为保护员工的一系列策略的一部分，包括佩戴口罩、定期洗手、伙伴筛查、保持身体距离、提供个人防护设备以及给予2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）相关病假的特殊待遇。
