J Korean Med Sci.  2021 Oct;36(38):e274. 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e274.

Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential In-hospital Exposure to SARS-CoV-2: Experience at a Tertiary Hospital

• Jo HJ
• Kim JS
• Choe PG
• Lee HY
• Chang E
• Jung H
• Kang CK
• Park WB
• Kim NJ
• Oh Md

• KMID: 2520774
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e274

Abstract

Applying work restrictions for asymptomatic healthcare personnel (HCP) with potential exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is recommended to prevent transmission from potentially contagious HCP to patients and other HCP. However, it can lead to understaffing, which threatens the safety of both patients and HCP. We evaluated 203 COVID-19 exposure events at a single tertiary hospital from January 2020 to June 2021. A total of 2,365 HCP were potentially exposed, and work restrictions were imposed on 320 HCP, leading to the loss of 3,311 working days. However, only one of the work-restricted HCP was confirmed with COVID-19. During the study period, the work restriction measures might be taken excessively compared to their benefit, so establishing more effective standards for work restriction is required.

Keyword

COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Work Restriction; In-Hospital Exposure

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Number of daily confirmed cases in Korea and weekly in-hospital SARS-CoV-2 exposure events by index case at a hospital, January 2020 to June 2021.SARS-CoV-2 = severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2.

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