tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Am J Infect Control
. 2024 May 29:S0196-6553(24)00529-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.015. Online ahead of print. Comparison of morbidity and absenteeism due to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in a large cohort of healthcare personnel in the 2022-2023 season
Helena C Maltezou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maria N Gamaletsou[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Athanasia Lourida[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Periklis Panagopoulos[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Theodoros V Giannouchos[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Flora Sourri[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Dimitra-Maria Koukou[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Amalia Karapanou[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Nikolaos Lemonakis[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Kyriakos Souliotis[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Dimitrios Hatzigeorgiou[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Nikolaos V Sipsas[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Aim: To compare the morbidity and work absenteeism associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza among healthcare personnel (HCP) in 2022-2023.
Methods: We followed 5752 hospital-based HCP in Greece from November 14, 2022 through May 28, 2023. Symptomatic HCP were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza by real-time PCR and/or rapid antigen detection test. The association between the duration of absenteeism and the type of disease was estimated by multivariable regression models.
Results: A total of 734 COVID-19 cases and 93 influenza cases were studied. The mean duration of absence per COVID-19 case was 5.8 days compared with a mean of absence of 3.6 days per influenza case (p-value <0.001). Overall, COVID-19 accounted for 4245 days missed during the study period compared with 333 days missed due to influenza. Multivariable regressions estimates indicated that HCP with COVID-19 had 1.91 more days of absenteeism [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67 to 2.15] compared to those with influenza, on average.
Conclusions: As SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, COVID-19 remains the prevalent cause of morbidity and absenteeism among HCP, accounting for considerably more workdays missed compared with influenza. HCP should be up-to-date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination in order to protect them as well as healthcare systems from HCP absenteeism.
Keywords: COVID-19; Omicron subvariant; absenteeism; healthcare personnel; influenza; morbidity; vaccination.
. 2024 May 29:S0196-6553(24)00529-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.015. Online ahead of print. Comparison of morbidity and absenteeism due to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in a large cohort of healthcare personnel in the 2022-2023 season
Helena C Maltezou[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maria N Gamaletsou[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Athanasia Lourida[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Periklis Panagopoulos[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Theodoros V Giannouchos[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Flora Sourri[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Dimitra-Maria Koukou[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Amalia Karapanou[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Nikolaos Lemonakis[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Kyriakos Souliotis[SUP] 10 [/SUP], Dimitrios Hatzigeorgiou[SUP] 11 [/SUP], Nikolaos V Sipsas[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38821411
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2024.05.015
Aim: To compare the morbidity and work absenteeism associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza among healthcare personnel (HCP) in 2022-2023.
Methods: We followed 5752 hospital-based HCP in Greece from November 14, 2022 through May 28, 2023. Symptomatic HCP were tested for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza by real-time PCR and/or rapid antigen detection test. The association between the duration of absenteeism and the type of disease was estimated by multivariable regression models.
Results: A total of 734 COVID-19 cases and 93 influenza cases were studied. The mean duration of absence per COVID-19 case was 5.8 days compared with a mean of absence of 3.6 days per influenza case (p-value <0.001). Overall, COVID-19 accounted for 4245 days missed during the study period compared with 333 days missed due to influenza. Multivariable regressions estimates indicated that HCP with COVID-19 had 1.91 more days of absenteeism [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.67 to 2.15] compared to those with influenza, on average.
Conclusions: As SARS-CoV-2 becomes endemic, COVID-19 remains the prevalent cause of morbidity and absenteeism among HCP, accounting for considerably more workdays missed compared with influenza. HCP should be up-to-date with COVID-19 booster vaccinations and annual influenza vaccination in order to protect them as well as healthcare systems from HCP absenteeism.
Keywords: COVID-19; Omicron subvariant; absenteeism; healthcare personnel; influenza; morbidity; vaccination.