Antibody study shows almost 1 in 5 of all COVID-19 cases are amongst Irish health workers

An antibody study found that health care workers accounted for 1 in 5 cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. As of yesterday, 10,172 health workers were confirmed by COVID-19. Of these, 4,210 required hospitalisation and 529 were treated in intensive care unit.

Recently a study revealed that coronavirus antibodies were detected in 18% of the staff at Tallaght University Hospital. The study had found that more staff were infected than actually tested positive for the virus.

The study led by Consultant clinical microbiologist Dr. Anna Rose, was undertaken by around one third of hospital staff, including people working in all departments of the hospital. The study was conducted from mid-July to mid-October.

Dr. Rose said: “18% of our staff actually had evidence of prior COVID-19 infection and that compared to a 12% rate of those who had previous confirmed infection.”

The study will last 12 months so antibody levels will continue to be tested at different times for willing participants.

“We can look at them going forward to see what happens to them, in terms of reinfection rates and re-exposure rates, and see do those antibodies wane,” said Dr. Rose.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) expressed concern over the findings of the Tallaght Hospital study.

The director of Industrial Relations, Tony Fitzpatrick said that “In older persons services staff are being tested on a repeat, ongoing basis, we think the same needs to happen in the community and in the acute hospital system.”

“A healthcare worker should be treated the same as any other member of the public, follow the public health advice, self-isolate and restrict their movements for 14 days. That should apply to healthcare workers as well,” Fitzpatrick added.

“We would hope now that with all the measures we have brought in, more widespread testing, mask wearing for all patient interactions, that hopefully in the future the rate of acquisition of infection would be reduced,” Dr. Rose said.

Meanwhile, HSE has invited healthcare workers in two major acute hospitals, St James’s Hospital, Dublin and Galway University Hospital, to perform the same tests to determine the presence of COVID-19 antibodies.