COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in Belgian Hospitals

Due to the situation this study, originally planted until September 2020, was extended with 7 months until April 2021. This extension was approved by the ethical committee University hospital Ghent, Belgium. The novel SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-associated Coronavirus type 2) is rapidly spreading over the world causing a condition called Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Hospital health care workers (HCW) have received detailed instructions to protect themselves against this infection, but it is likely that at least some of the HCW will get infected either at their workplace or elsewhere. It would be useful to document prevalence and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and their monthly evolution among Belgian active hospital HCW during a period of 12 months starting beginning of April 2020 and the number of new cases (incidence) of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 seroconversions among Belgian hospital HCW during a period of 12 months which are the primary objectives of this study. Additionally the study will validate serological tests (subject to change/addition depending on the evolution of scientific research) against the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) (gold standard); validate the saliva sample (sampling with Oracol or equivalent) against the standard naso/oro pharyngeal swabbing (NOPS) to perform RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic purposes, as well as against the standard serology (serum); validate the nasal swab against the standard (NOPS) to perform RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 for diagnostic purposes; investigate potential risk factors for the infection; quantify the proportion of asymptomatic cases among new cases that develop during a period of 12 months. To reach these primary and secondary objectives the researchers will conduct a prospective cohort study in which a random selection of HCW currently working in Belgian hospitals will be tested monthly (with for the first month an additional testing point at 14 days). The testing will includ