Frontiers in Public Health (Apr 2021)

Low Incidence and Mortality by SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Healthcare Workers in a Health National Center in Mexico: Successful Establishment of an Occupational Medicine Program

  • Miguel Ángel Salazar,
  • Leslie Chavez-Galan,
  • Armando Castorena-Maldonado,
  • Maribel Mateo-Alonso,
  • Nadia Otilia Diaz-Vazquez,
  • Ana María Vega-Martínez,
  • José Arturo Martínez-Orozco,
  • Eduardo Becerril-Vargas,
  • Fernando Manuel Sosa-Gómez,
  • Hilda Patiño-Gallegos,
  • Delfino Alonso-Martínez,
  • Enrique López-Segundo,
  • Fernando Vidal,
  • Luis Joan Velasco-González,
  • Silvia Pérez-Pulido,
  • Patricio Santillán-Doherty,
  • Justino Regalado-Pineda,
  • Jorge Salas-Hernández,
  • Ivette Buendía-Roldán

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.651144
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Healthcare workers (HCWs) constitute a population which is significantly affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection worldwide. In Mexico, the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (INER) is the principal national reference of respiratory diseases.Aim: To evaluate the efficiency of the INER-POL-TRAB-COVID19 program to mitigate the SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among the INER-healthcare workers (INER-HCW).Methods: Currently, the INER has 250 beds and 200 respiratory ventilators to support COVID-19 patients in critical condition. On March 1st, 2020, the INER-POL-TRAB-COVID19 program was launched to mitigate the SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among the INER-HCW.Findings: From March 1st to October 1st, 2020, 71.5% of INER-HCWs were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 77% of them were frontline workers. Among the tested INER-HCWs, 10.4% were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nonetheless, nosocomial infection represented only 3.8% of the cases and the mortality was null. Fifty-three of INER-HCWs positive to SARS-CoV-2 had a negative test 42–56 days post-diagnosis and were returned to service. Finally, although a change in the PPE implemented on May 11th, 2020, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was not affected.Conclusion: INER has a lower incidence of HCWs infected with SARS-CoV-2 as compared to the mean of the national report. The implementation of the INER-POL-TRAB-COVID19 program is efficient to decrease the risk of infection among the HCWs. Our findings suggest that the implementation of a similar program at a national level can be helpful to provide a safe environment to HCWs and to prevent the collapse of health institutions.

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