Evaluation and Screening of COVID-19, Contact and Risk Conditions in Healthcare Workers in a University Hospital

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the management and risk conditions of healthcare workers (HCWs) having COVID-19 infection before and after the normalization process (NP).
METHODS: The working group of this study consisted of 1881 HCWs who applied to the Occupational Health and Safety Unit. A form for determining the HCWs’ sociodemographic characteristics and the Healthcare Work-er COVID-19 Contact Case Follow-up Form were used using the Ministry of Health COVID-19 Guide.
RESULTS: This study included 1881 HCWs. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was assessed in 1373 (73.0%) of the HCWs, and 172 (12.5%) of the PCR tests were positive HCWs who underwent PCR testing. Before the NP, 13 (2.5%) of the HCWs had PCR positive, and after the NP, 159 (18.4%) of 862 HCWs were PCR positive. While 80 (46.5%) of PCR-positive HCWs were using personal protective equipment (PPE), 478 (39.8%) of PCR-negative HCWs were using PPE (p<0.001). While 5 (38.4%) PCR-positive and 262 (52.6) PCR-negative HCWs were using PPE before NP, 75 (47.1%) PCR-positive and 216 (30.7) PCR-negative HCWs were using PPE after NP (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The study showed that the frequency of COVID-19 PCR positivity in the HCWs is similar to that given by World Health Organization.