Healthcare workers (HCWs) are playing a vital role in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This study investigated how infection spreads within three local hospitals and an associated fire brigade in Germany by testing employees for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies over one year. The three observational periods corresponded to the initial three pandemic waves: first wave: June–September 2020, second wave: October 2020–January 2021, and third wave: February–June 2021. We analysed 3285 serum samples of 1842 employees, which represents 65.7% of all employees. Altogether, 13.2% employees were seropositive: 194/1411 HCWs (13.7%) and 49/431 non-HCWs (11.4%) with a clear increase of seroprevalence from the first (1.1%) to the second (13.2%) and third (29.3%) pandemic wave. HCWs presumably had an additional occupational risk for infection in the second and third wave due to an increase of infection pressure with more COVID-19 patients treated, showing possible weak points in the recommended infection prevention strategy.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, antibodies, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, Healthcare workers, 【초록키워드】 pandemic, Healthcare workers, SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, hospital, Seroprevalence, Infection, risk, Local, healthcare worker, Spread, Germany, HCWs, SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody, Infection prevention, second wave, First wave, SARS-CoV-2 IgG, COVID-19 patient, Prevention strategy, HCW, serum samples, SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies, serum sample, Brigade, initial, investigated, analysed, treated, 【제목키워드】 network, fire, over, employee, secondary, Result, Year,