COVID‑19 Pandemic: Effect of Specific and Non-Specific Prevention Measures on the Risk of SARS‑CoV‑2 Infection in Employees of Healthcare Organizations

Abstract

From the very onset of SARS‑CoV‑2 spreading, active involvement in the COVID‑19 epidemic process made the healthcare professionals (HCPs) a vulnerable group with higher risks of contracting the disease, severe course and fatal outcome. The aim. We aimed at studying the impact of specific and non-specific preventive measures on the risk of SARS‑CoV‑2 infection among the HCPs in a large industrial region settings during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Materials and methods. We analyzed the data obtained using 1 905 questionnaires for the personnel of infectious hospitals for treatment of COVID‑19 patients and non-core healthcare facilities in a large industrial region during the COVID‑19 pandemic, 100 questionnaires on adherence of the employees to hand hygiene and antiseptics, the results of the tests for specific IgG to the SARS‑CoV‑2 nucleocapsid (2 200 samples), as well as the results of assessment of viral and bacterial contamination of the outer surface of the personal protective equipment for infectious hospital staff (108 specimens). Results and discussion. In the course of the study, an effect of failure in the implementation of some specific and non-specific preventive measures on an increase in the incidence of COVID‑19 in various healthcare professionals has been identified. The COVID‑19 pandemic once again emphasized the need to save lives and health of the HCPs as socially significant category of citizens under the spread of pathogens with high epidemic potential, applying a complex of specific and non-specific measures that are not mutually exclusive.