Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among health care workers in a country with low burden of COVID-19

Psichogiou, Mina; Karabinis, Andreas; Pavlopoulou, Ioanna D; Basoulis, Dimitrios; Petsios, Konstantinos; Roussos, Sotirios; Patrikaki, Maria; Jahaj, Edison; Protopapas, Konstantinos; Leontis, Konstantinos; Rapti, Vasiliki; Kotanidou, Anastasia; Antoniadou, Anastasia; Poulakou, Garyphallia; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Sypsa, Vana; Hatzakis, Angelos

Greece is a country with limited spread of SARS-CoV-2 and cumulative infection attack rate of 0.12% (95%CI 0.06%-0.26%). Health care workers (HCWs) are a well-recognized risk group for COVID-19. The study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in two hospitals and assess potential risk factors. Hospital-1 was involved in the care of COVID-19 patients while hospital-2 was not. A validated, rapid, IgM/IgG antibody point-of care test was used. 1,495 individuals consented to participate (response rate 77%). The anti-SARS-CoV-2 weighted prevalence was 1.07% (95%CI 0.37-1.78) overall and 0.44% (95%CI 0.12-1.13) and 2.4% (95%CI 0.51-8.19) in hospital-1 and hospital-2, respectively. The overall, hospital-1, and hospital-2 seroprevalence was 9, 3 and 20 times higher than the estimated infection attack rate in general population, respectively. Suboptimal use of personal protective equipment was noted in both hospitals. These data have implications for the preparedness of a second wave of COVID-19 epidemic.