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Sanchez-Taltavull D, Castelo-Szekely V, Murugan S, Hamley JID, Rollenske T, Ganal-Vonarburg SC, Büchi I, Keogh A, Li H, Salm L, Spari D, Yilmaz B, Zimmermann J, Gerfin M, Roldan E, Beldi G. Regular testing of asymptomatic healthcare workers identifies cost-efficient SARS-CoV-2 preventive measures. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258700. [PMID: 34739484 PMCID: PMC8570514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protecting healthcare professionals is crucial in maintaining a functioning healthcare system. The risk of infection and optimal preventive strategies for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic remain poorly understood. Here we report the results of a cohort study that included pre- and asymptomatic healthcare workers. A weekly testing regime has been performed in this cohort since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify infected healthcare workers. Based on these observations we have developed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that integrates the sources of infection from inside and outside the hospital. The data were used to study how regular testing and a desynchronisation protocol are effective in preventing transmission of COVID-19 infection at work, and compared both strategies in terms of workforce availability and cost-effectiveness. We showed that case incidence among healthcare workers is higher than would be explained solely by community infection. Furthermore, while testing and desynchronisation protocols are both effective in preventing nosocomial transmission, regular testing maintains work productivity with implementation costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sanchez-Taltavull
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Violeta Castelo-Szekely
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Shaira Murugan
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan I. D. Hamley
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tim Rollenske
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie C. Ganal-Vonarburg
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Isabel Büchi
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Adrian Keogh
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hai Li
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lilian Salm
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Spari
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Bahtiyar Yilmaz
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jakob Zimmermann
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michael Gerfin
- Department of Economics, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Edgar Roldan
- ICTP, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
| | - Guido Beldi
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - UVCM-COVID researchers
- Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Bern Center for Precision Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
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