Regular testing of asymptomatic healthcare workers identifies cost-efficient SARS-CoV-2 preventive measures

PLoS One. 2021 Nov 5;16(11):e0258700. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258700. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Protecting healthcare professionals is crucial in maintaining a functioning healthcare system. The risk of infection and optimal preventive strategies for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic remain poorly understood. Here we report the results of a cohort study that included pre- and asymptomatic healthcare workers. A weekly testing regime has been performed in this cohort since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify infected healthcare workers. Based on these observations we have developed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission that integrates the sources of infection from inside and outside the hospital. The data were used to study how regular testing and a desynchronisation protocol are effective in preventing transmission of COVID-19 infection at work, and compared both strategies in terms of workforce availability and cost-effectiveness. We showed that case incidence among healthcare workers is higher than would be explained solely by community infection. Furthermore, while testing and desynchronisation protocols are both effective in preventing nosocomial transmission, regular testing maintains work productivity with implementation costs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Asymptomatic Infections*
  • COVID-19 / diagnosis*
  • COVID-19 / economics*
  • COVID-19 Testing / methods*
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Cross Infection
  • Data Collection
  • Delivery of Health Care
  • Health Personnel*
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Occupational Exposure
  • Pandemics
  • Risk
  • SARS-CoV-2*
  • Stochastic Processes
  • Switzerland / epidemiology

Grants and funding

The study was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation with the grants 196059 (G. B., D. S.-T.) and 196641 (S. G.-V.) and by the Bern Center for Precision Medicine (G. B., D. S.-T.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.