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. 2022 Mar 11:20:eAO6237.
doi: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2022AO6237. eCollection 2022.

COVID-19 among workers assisting homeless and socially vulnerable people

Nídia Celeste Horie  1 , Karin Schmid  1 , Brayan Filipe Farias da Silva  1
Affiliations

COVID-19 among workers assisting homeless and socially vulnerable people

Nídia Celeste Horie et al. Einstein (Sao Paulo). .

Abstract

Objective: To describe the profile of professionals assisting homeless and socially vulnerable populations tested for COVID-19, and to determine potential associations with exposure at the workplace, on the way to work, or at home, among infected professionals. To describe disease symptoms and progression and to investigate potential associations with age, sex and exposure at the workplace, on the way to work, or at home.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of data of 173 workers employed by Serviço Franciscano de Solidariedade tested for SARS-CoV-2. Between May 20 and June 2, 2020, professionals and volunteers were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies, by means of qualitative rapid chromatographic immunoassay in whole blood. A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics and working conditions, history and date of onset of symptoms and risk factors. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation, or median, maximum, and minimum values. Data normality was investigated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

Results: A total of 46 (26.6%) participants had positive serologic tests. Of participants with negative serologic test results, 109 (85.8%) were asymptomatic. History of symptoms was the most significant independent factor associated with positive serology. Serologic test results and symptoms differed significantly according to housing (p=0.045) and working (p<0.001) conditions. More than half of participants (52.4%) living in shared households tested positive, compared to 23% of participants living in family households. Participants working remotely from home did not test positive. In seropositive participants, onset of symptoms was associated with workplace exposure and shared housing conditions.

Conclusion: History of symptoms was associated with positive serology for COVID-19. Shared housing conditions tended to be associated with higher risk of infection. Onset of symptoms was associated with higher levels of workplace exposure and shared housing conditions in seropositive participants.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: none.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Cumulative number of new COVID-19 cases in 2020 according to date of onset of symptoms
Figure 2
Figure 2. Manifestation and severity of symptoms in participants with positive SARS-CoV-2 serologic test results, according to working conditions
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