Background Healthcare workers are considered a particularly high-risk group during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Healthcare workers in paediatrics are a unique subgroup: they come into frequent contact with children, who often experience few or no symptoms when infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and, therefore, may transmit the disease to unprotected staff. In Germany, no studies exist evaluating the risk of COVID-19 to healthcare workers in paediatric institutions. Methods We tested the staff at a large children’s hospital in Germany for immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies against the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 in a period between the first and second epidemic wave in Germany. We used a questionnaire to assess each individual’s exposure risk and his/her own perception of having already been infected with SARS-CoV-2. Results We recruited 619 participants from all sectors, clinical and non-clinical, constituting 70% of the entire staff. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 0.325% (95% confidence interval 0.039–1.168). Self-perceived risk of a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased with age (odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.93). Having experienced symptoms more than doubled the odds of a high self-perceived risk (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.59–3.00). There was no significant difference in self-perceived risk between men and women. Conclusions Seroprevalence was low among healthcare workers at a large children’s hospital in Germany before the second epidemic wave, and it was far from a level that confers herd immunity. Self-perceived risk of infection is often overestimated.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Health personnel, pediatrics, Seroepidemiologic studies, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, coronavirus disease, Coronavirus disease 2019, coronavirus, pandemic, Healthcare workers, Immunity, antibody, SARS-COV-2 infection, children, hospital, Seroprevalence, risk, Symptom, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, healthcare worker, nucleocapsid protein, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Immunoglobulin, Germany, paediatrics, herd immunity, age, respiratory, questionnaire, Odds ratio, risk of infection, Contact, contact with, no symptoms, epidemic wave, acute respiratory syndrome, no symptom, significant difference, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, no significant difference, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, 95% confidence interval, participant, risk of COVID-19, Result, tested, recruited, the disease, unique, men and women, infected with SARS-CoV-2, 【제목키워드】 pandemic, hospital, risk, healthcare worker, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence,