COVID-19 hospital outbreaks: protecting healthcare workers to protect frail patients. An Italian observational cohort study.
The pressures faced by hospitals and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about nosocomial transmission of the virus. This single-setting study conducted in Italy including 5,750 healthcare workers compared the prevalence of COVID-19 infection among those in contact with COVID-19 patients and those working elsewhere in the hospital. The prevalence among exposed healthcare workers was 0.7% and 0.4% among all healthcare workers at this hospital. The authors conclude that correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and early identification of symptomatic healthcare workers can reduce nosocomial transmission.