Article
Mitigation of Socio‑Economical Inequalities on the Profile of Healthcare Workers Infected with SARS‑CoV‑2 upon Vaccination: The Experience of a Brazilian Public Healthcare Institution during the Omicron Wave
Registro en:
ZUMA, Maria Celia Chaves et al. Mitigation of Socio‑Economical Inequalities on the Profile of Healthcare Workers Infected with SARS‑CoV‑2 upon Vaccination: The Experience of a Brazilian Public Healthcare Institution during the Omicron Wave. COVID, v.3, p. 65-81, Jan. 2023.
2673-8112
10.3390/covid3010004
Autor
Zuma, Maria Celia Chaves
Faccion, Roberta Soares
Costa, Ana Carolina Carioca da
Gomes, Leonardo Henrique Ferreira
Moore, Daniella Campelo Batalha Cox
Gomes Junior, Saint Clair
Bonomo, Adriana Cesar
Savino, Wilson
Missailidis, Sotiris
Vasconcelos, Zilton Farias Meira
Resumen
Abstract: Background: COVID‑19 increased health inequalities worldwide. Even among healthcare
workers, social‑economical features enhanced the risk of infection (having positive serology) during
the first outbreak. The Omicron variant changed the pandemic course and differs from previous
variants in many aspects (molecular, clinical, and epidemiological). Herein, we investigated if the
profile of our hospital SARS‑CoV‑2‑positive workers during the Omicron outbreak was the same as
the first COVID‑19 wave. Methods: Socio‑demographics, previous infection, and vaccine status of
351 healthcare workers from our institution during the Omicron outbreak were compared between
SARS‑CoV‑2‑negative and ‑positive workers, using chi‑square tests. These data were confronted
with the profile observed at the beginning of the pandemic. Results: Compared to the original
COVID‑19 wave, higher odds of SARS‑CoV‑2 positivity in highly exposed workers in our hospital
and a loss of impact of public transportation and other socio‑demographic features in SARS‑CoV‑2
transmission were observed. Conclusions: Our data suggest the current phase of the pandemic is associated
with a reduction of social inequalities among healthcare workers in Rio de Janeiro, possibly
due to vaccine‑associated protection. Therefore, a worldwide effort to advance vaccination coverage,
especially for healthcare workers in developing countries, should be reinforced.