Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious airborne virus inducing pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This is most relevant for medical staff working under harmful conditions in emergencies often dealing with patients and an undefined SARS-CoV-2 status. We aimed to measure the effect of high-class filtering facepieces (FFP) in emergency medical service (EMS) staff by analyzing seroprevalence and history of positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for SARS-CoV-2. Method This observational cohort study included workers in EMS, who were compared with hospital staff (HS) and staff, which was not directly involved in patient care (NPC). All direct patient contacts of EMS workers were protected by FFP2/N95 (filtering face piece protection class 2/non-oil-based particulates filter efficiency 95%) masks, whereas HS was protected by FFP2/N95 exclusively when a patient had a proven or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection. NPC was not protected by higher FFP. The seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was analyzed by immunoassay by end of 12/2020 together with the history of a positive PCR. In addition, a self-assessment was performed regarding the quantity of SARS-CoV-2 positive contacts, about flu symptoms and personal belief of previous COVID-19 infections. Results The period in which contact to SARS-CoV-2 positive patients has been possible was 10 months (March to December 2020)—with 54,681 patient contacts documented for EMS—either emergencies (n = 33,241) or transportation services (n = 21,440). Seven hundred-thirty (n = 730) participants were included into the study (n = EMS: 325, HS: 322 and NPC: 83). The analysis of the survey showed that the exposure to patients with an unknown and consecutive positive SARS-CoV-2 result was significantly higher for EMS when compared to HS (EMS 55% vs. HS 30%, p = 0.01). The incidence of a SARS-CoV-2 infection in our cohort was 1.2% (EMS), 2.2% (HS) and 2.4% (NPC) within the three groups (ns) and lowest in EMS. Furthermore, the belief of previous COVID-19 was significant higher in EMS (19% vs. 10%), Conclusion The consistent use of FFP2/N95 in EMS is able to prevent work-related SARS-CoV-2 infections in emergency situations. The significance of physical airway protection in exposed medical staff is still relevant especially under the aspect of new viral variants and unclear effectiveness of new vaccines. Graphical Abstract
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Emergency medical services, Seroprevalence, Personal protection equipment, Filtering facepiece, FFP2, N95, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019, Vaccines, SARS-COV-2 infection, Seroprevalence, Masks, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, Symptom, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, virus, airway, Hospital staff, immunoassay, polymerase chain reaction, Cohort, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, Viral, PCR, SARS-CoV-2 antibody, Patient, Effectiveness, incidence, flu, respiratory, viral variant, disease, SARS-CoV-2 infections, Coronavirus-2, pandemic coronavirus, Analysis, Contact, Efficiency, exposure to, Chain Reaction, medical staff, medical service, self-assessment, Patient care, Observational cohort study, acute respiratory syndrome, emergency medical service, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, COVID-19 infections, quantity, three groups, participant, positive, contagious, SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, aspect, positive PCR, belief, Prevent, physical, polymerase chain, lowest, Result, analyzed, involved, addition, was performed, condition, significantly higher, NPC, three group, positive SARS-CoV-2 result, SARS-CoV-2 positive patient, 【제목키워드】 Health, Community, Care, Observational cohort study, effective,