Covid-19 presentation among symptomatic healthcare workers in Ireland

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dc.check.date2022-02-15
dc.check.infoAccess to this article is restricted until 12 months after publication by request of the publisher.en
dc.contributor.authorO'Sullivan, Grainne
dc.contributor.authorJacob, S.
dc.contributor.authorBarrett, Peter M.
dc.contributor.authorGallagher, J.
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-11T09:35:15Z
dc.date.available2021-05-11T09:35:15Z
dc.date.issued2021-02-15
dc.description.abstractBackground: It is recognized that healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contracting Covid-19. It is incumbent on occupational health staff to recognize potential symptoms of Covid-19 among HCWs. Aims: The aims of the study were to describe the presenting symptoms of HCWs who developed Covid-19 in Ireland, and to estimate the odds of specific symptoms being associated with a positive Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result. Methods: A retrospective chart review of all symptomatic HCWs who self-presented for Covid-19 testing in Cork from March to May 2020 was conducted. A sex-matched case–control study was carried out to compare presenting features among those who tested positive compared to those who tested negative. Univariate and multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models were run using Stata 15.0 to identify the symptoms associated with positive Covid-19 swab results. Results: Three hundred and six HCWs were included in the study; 102 cases and 204 controls. Common presenting features among cases were fever/chills (55%), cough (44%) and headache (35%). The symptoms which were significantly associated with a positive Covid-19 swab result were loss of taste/smell (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36–108.79), myalgia (aOR 2.36, 95% 1.27–4.38), fatigue (aOR 2.31, 95% CI 1.12–4.74), headache (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.19–3.74) and fever/chills (aOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12–3.15). Conclusions: Fever, fatigue, myalgia, loss of taste/smell and headache were associated with increased odds of a Covid-19 diagnosis among symptomatic self-referred HCWs compared with those had negative swab results. Testing criteria for HCWs should reflect the broad range of possible symptoms of Covid-19.en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationO’Sullivan, G., Jacob, S., Barrett, P. M. and Gallagher, J. (2021) 'Covid-19 presentation among symptomatic healthcare workers in Ireland', Occupational Medicine, 71(2), pp. 95–98. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqab012en
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/occmed/kqab012en
dc.identifier.eissn1471-8405
dc.identifier.endpage98en
dc.identifier.issn0962-7480
dc.identifier.issued2en
dc.identifier.journaltitleOccupational Medicineen
dc.identifier.startpage95en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/11272
dc.identifier.volume71en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherOxford University Pressen
dc.rights© 2021, the Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.en
dc.subjectCovid-19en
dc.subjectHealthcare workeren
dc.subjectOccupational healthen
dc.subjectSARS-CoV-2en
dc.subjectSymptomsen
dc.titleCovid-19 presentation among symptomatic healthcare workers in Irelanden
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)en
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