COVID-19 Seroconversion Among Front Line Medical and Paramedical Staff in Emergency, Intensive Care Units and Infectious Disease Departments During the 2020 Epidemic

COVID-19 Seroconversion Among Medical and Paramedical Staff in Emergency, ICU and Infectious Disease Services During the 2020 Epidemic

The epidemic due to the Sars-CoV2 virus is spreading in France, without knowning precisely since when the virus has actually circulated on the territory. Data from China but also systematic samples taken from the passengers of the Diamond Princess boat also report almost 50% of asymptomatic forms of Covid-19. The medical and paramedical staff of the front-line services for the care of patients infected with Covid-19 are in fact potentially exposed to the risk of occupational contamination due to the large number of patients treated, including in the pre-epidemic phase. Therefore, and despite the application of standard protective measures, it is possible that a certain number of these personnel already have or will contract Covid-19 disease, including in its asymptomatic form.

The epidemic due to Sars-CoV2 is spreading in France, without it being knowning precisely since when the virus actually circulated on the territory. Data from China but also systematic samples taken from the passengers of the boat Diamond Princess also report almost 50% of asymptomatic forms of Covid-19. Medical and paramedical staff are in fact potentially exposed to the risk of professional contamination, with probably a different risk between the first-line referent hospitals and the others, due to the large number of patients treated in the first, including in the pre-epidemic phase (average of 190 consultants per day at the emergency department Pitié-Salpêtrière for example). Therefore, and despite the application of standard protective measures, it is possible that a certain number of these personnel already have or will contract Covid-19 disease, including in its asymptomatic form. Knowledge of this seroconversion rate, if it is found to be higher than that of the general population, could lead to a review of the measures to protect personnel from other emerging infectious risks.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Any permanent medical or paramedic staff of participating services who have given written consent to participate
• Having a social security insurance.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-permanent staff (occasional staffing), administrative staff, technical staff of participating services.
• Staff who were not active during the inclusion period.