JOEM: SAR-COV-2 Seroprevalence in Employees of Four Essential (January 2023)-JOEM: SAR-COV-2 Seroprevalence in Employees of Four Essential (January 2023)

JOEM: SAR-COV-2 Seroprevalence in Employees of Four Essential (January 2023)

Pdf Summary

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in essential non-healthcare workers in Switzerland during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study included 455 essential workers from four sectors: bus drivers, supermarket employees, laundry service employees, and mail-sorting center employees. The overall prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among the essential workers was 15.9%, which was not significantly higher than that of the general working-age population (11.2%). However, there was variation in prevalence among the different sectors, with supermarket employees having a significantly higher prevalence (22.0%) compared to the general population. Having a seropositive housemate was found to be the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity. The study highlights the importance of implementing protective measures in the workplace to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. It also suggests that transmission of the virus among essential workers may have occurred more frequently in the home environment rather than at work. These findings are valuable in guiding public health authorities and employers in implementing targeted and tailored interventions to protect essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

prevalence

essential workers

Switzerland

COVID-19 pandemic

supermarket employees

seropositive housemate

protective measures

virus exposure

transmission