SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant
Vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among health care workers (HCWs) of the University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI) of Trieste (North-eastern Italy) by 1 January 2022 was 90.4% with at least one vaccine dose, 84.9% with at least 2 doses, and 75.1% with 3 doses, 98.2% with Comirnaty (Pfi...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
|
Series: | Viruses |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1663 |
_version_ | 1797441401376473088 |
---|---|
author | Luca Cegolon Federico Ronchese Francesca Ricci Corrado Negro Francesca Larese-Filon |
author_facet | Luca Cegolon Federico Ronchese Francesca Ricci Corrado Negro Francesca Larese-Filon |
author_sort | Luca Cegolon |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among health care workers (HCWs) of the University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI) of Trieste (North-eastern Italy) by 1 January 2022 was 90.4% with at least one vaccine dose, 84.9% with at least 2 doses, and 75.1% with 3 doses, 98.2% with Comirnaty (Pfizer BioNtech, New York, NY, USA) versus 1.8% with Spikevax (Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA). From 1 October 2020 to 7 February 2022, 1652 SARS-CoV-2 infections were notified in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste. Although the overall risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion increased over time, the rate of occupational infections progressively declined, from 42.5% during the second COVID-19 wave to 15.6% in the fifth. Between 1 January–7 February 2022 (a period dominated by the Omicron variant), albeit no COVID-19-associated hospitalizations were recorded in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste, 669 SARS-CoV-2 infections were counted against 367 cases observed from 1 October to 31 December 2020, the 3 months preceding the implementation of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19. Job tasks and health care settings turned out to be the most significant risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the effect of workplace prevailed over job task on the biological risk, with greater rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections observed among HCWs operating in areas with higher levels of circulation of the virus, particularly COVID-19 dedicated units. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:22:32Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-260e67936af24eb7be40dc55b8661b1e |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1999-4915 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:22:32Z |
publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Viruses |
spelling | doaj.art-260e67936af24eb7be40dc55b8661b1e2023-11-30T22:38:31ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152022-07-01148166310.3390/v14081663SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron VariantLuca Cegolon0Federico Ronchese1Francesca Ricci2Corrado Negro3Francesca Larese-Filon4Department of Medical, Surgical & Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, ItalyOccupational Medicine Unit, University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI), 34148 Trieste, ItalyOccupational Medicine Unit, University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI), 34148 Trieste, ItalyDepartment of Medical, Surgical & Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, ItalyDepartment of Medical, Surgical & Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, ItalyVaccination coverage against COVID-19 among health care workers (HCWs) of the University Health Agency Giuliano-Isontina (ASUGI) of Trieste (North-eastern Italy) by 1 January 2022 was 90.4% with at least one vaccine dose, 84.9% with at least 2 doses, and 75.1% with 3 doses, 98.2% with Comirnaty (Pfizer BioNtech, New York, NY, USA) versus 1.8% with Spikevax (Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA). From 1 October 2020 to 7 February 2022, 1652 SARS-CoV-2 infections were notified in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste. Although the overall risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion increased over time, the rate of occupational infections progressively declined, from 42.5% during the second COVID-19 wave to 15.6% in the fifth. Between 1 January–7 February 2022 (a period dominated by the Omicron variant), albeit no COVID-19-associated hospitalizations were recorded in HCWs of ASUGI Trieste, 669 SARS-CoV-2 infections were counted against 367 cases observed from 1 October to 31 December 2020, the 3 months preceding the implementation of the vaccination campaign against COVID-19. Job tasks and health care settings turned out to be the most significant risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the effect of workplace prevailed over job task on the biological risk, with greater rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections observed among HCWs operating in areas with higher levels of circulation of the virus, particularly COVID-19 dedicated units.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1663biological riskCOVID-19health care-associated infectionhealth protection measuresjob taskoccupational risk |
spellingShingle | Luca Cegolon Federico Ronchese Francesca Ricci Corrado Negro Francesca Larese-Filon SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant Viruses biological risk COVID-19 health care-associated infection health protection measures job task occupational risk |
title | SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant |
title_full | SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant |
title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant |
title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant |
title_short | SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Workers of Trieste (North-Eastern Italy), 1 October 2020–7 February 2022: Occupational Risk and the Impact of the Omicron Variant |
title_sort | sars cov 2 infection in health care workers of trieste north eastern italy 1 october 2020 7 february 2022 occupational risk and the impact of the omicron variant |
topic | biological risk COVID-19 health care-associated infection health protection measures job task occupational risk |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/14/8/1663 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT lucacegolon sarscov2infectioninhealthcareworkersoftriestenortheasternitaly1october20207february2022occupationalriskandtheimpactoftheomicronvariant AT federicoronchese sarscov2infectioninhealthcareworkersoftriestenortheasternitaly1october20207february2022occupationalriskandtheimpactoftheomicronvariant AT francescaricci sarscov2infectioninhealthcareworkersoftriestenortheasternitaly1october20207february2022occupationalriskandtheimpactoftheomicronvariant AT corradonegro sarscov2infectioninhealthcareworkersoftriestenortheasternitaly1october20207february2022occupationalriskandtheimpactoftheomicronvariant AT francescalaresefilon sarscov2infectioninhealthcareworkersoftriestenortheasternitaly1october20207february2022occupationalriskandtheimpactoftheomicronvariant |