Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Fujita Health University School of Medical Sciences, 1-98 Kutsukake-cho, Dengakugakubo, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan.
Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, 1-98 Kutsukake-cho, Dengakugakubo, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan.
J Infect Chemother. 2023 Jan;29(1):102-104. doi: 10.1016/j.jiac.2022.09.004. Epub 2022 Sep 8.
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, maintaining adequate staffing in healthcare facilities is important to provide a safe work environment for healthcare workers (HCWs). Japan's early return-to-work (RTW) program may be a rational strategy at a time when there is an increased demand for the services of HCWs. We assessed whether the early RTW program for HCWs who have been in close contact with a COVID-19 case in our hospital was justified. Close contacts were identified according to the guidance document of the World Health Organization. HCWs who met all of the following conditions were eligible to apply to an early RTW program: (1) difficult to replace with another HCW, (2) received the third dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, (3) a negative COVID-19 antigen test before each work shift, and (4) consent from relevant HCWs and their managers to participate in the program. Between January and March 2022, 256 HCWs were identified as close contacts (median age, 35 years; 192 female). Thirty-seven (14%) secondary attack cases of COVID-19 were detected. Among 141 HCWs (55%) who applied to the early RTW program, nurses and physicians comprised about three-quarters of participants, with a higher participation rate by physicians (78%) than nurses (59%). Eighteen HCWs tested positive for COVID-19 by the sixth day after starting the early RTW program. No COVID-19 infection clusters were reported during the observation period. These findings suggest that the early RTW program for COVID-19 close contacts was a reasonable strategy for HCWs during the Omicron wave.
在 2019 冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间，维持医疗机构的充足人员配备对于为医护人员（HCWs）提供安全的工作环境至关重要。日本的提前返工（RTW）计划在对 HCWs 服务需求增加时可能是一种合理的策略。我们评估了我们医院内与 COVID-19 病例有密切接触的 HCWs 提前 RTW 计划是否合理。密切接触者是根据世界卫生组织的指导文件确定的。符合以下所有条件的 HCWs 有资格申请提前 RTW 计划：（1）难以由其他 HCWs 替代，（2）已接种第三剂 COVID-19 mRNA 疫苗，（3）每次工作前进行 COVID-19 抗原检测呈阴性，以及（4）相关 HCWs 和其管理人员同意参加该计划。2022 年 1 月至 3 月期间，有 256 名 HCWs 被确定为密切接触者（中位数年龄为 35 岁；192 名女性）。发现 37 例（14%）COVID-19 二次攻击病例。在申请提前 RTW 计划的 141 名 HCWs（55%）中，护士和医生约占参与者的四分之三，医生的参与率（78%）高于护士（59%）。18 名 HCWs 在开始提前 RTW 计划后的第六天新冠检测呈阳性。在观察期间没有报告 COVID-19 感染群。这些发现表明，在奥密克戎浪潮期间，针对 COVID-19 密切接触者的提前 RTW 计划是 HCWs 的合理策略。
