Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Seropositivity among Healthcare Personnel in Hospitals and Nursing Homes, Rhode Island, USA, July–August 2020

Akinbami, Lara J.; Chan, Philip A.; Vuong, Nga; Sami, Samira; Lewis, Dawn; Sheridan, Philip E.; Lukacs, Susan L.; Mackey, Lisa; Grohskopf, Lisa A.; Patel, Anita; Petersen, Lyle R.

Healthcare personnel are recognized to be at higher risk for infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. We conducted a serologic survey in 15 hospitals and 56 nursing homes across Rhode Island, USA, during July 17–August 28, 2020. Overall seropositivity among 9,863 healthcare personnel was 4.6% (95% CI 4.2%–5.0%) but varied 4-fold between hospital personnel (3.1%, 95% CI 2.7%–3.5%) and nursing home personnel (13.1%, 95% CI 11.5%–14.9%). Within nursing homes, prevalence was highest among personnel working in coronavirus disease units (24.1%; 95% CI 20.6%–27.8%). Adjusted analysis showed that in hospitals, nurses and receptionists/medical assistants had a higher likelihood of seropositivity than physicians. In nursing homes, nursing assistants and social workers/case managers had higher likelihoods of seropositivity than occupational/physical/speech therapists. Nursing home personnel in all occupations had elevated seropositivity compared with hospital counterparts. Additional mitigation strategies are needed to protect nursing home personnel from infection, regardless of occupation.