The Risk of Infection with SARS-CoV-2 Among Healthcare Workers During the Pandemic. Findings of a Nationwide Sero-Epidemiological Study in Germany

Abstract

Working in the healthcare sector often necessitates being physically close to other people and direct contact with infectious patients. This can contribute to a greater risk of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 (1). Studies of the risk of infection in healthcare workers in Germany have thus far been based on studies in individual healthcare institutions (2) or analyses of sick notes/medical certificates (3). The study “Corona-Monitoring bundesweit ([Corona monitoring nationwide] RKI-SOEP-Study)”(4) was the first to provide nationwide population based sero-epidemiological data on the risk of infection. On the basis of these data we analyze whether and to what extent the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 was higher in healthcare workers than in workers in other occupations during the first two waves of infection in spring 2020 and winter 2020/21.