Healthcare workers ‘should be screened for Covid-19 every week’

Healthcare workers ‘should be screened for Covid-19 every week’

The Urgent Need for Weekly COVID-19 Screening for Healthcare Workers In light of ongoing concerns about the spread of COVID-19 within healthcare settings, there is an increasing call for more rigorous and frequent testing protocols for healthcare workers. Prof. Charles Swanton, the head of the Francis Crick Institute’s testing facility, has advocated for weekly COVID-19 screening for healthcare workers to safeguard patients from potential asymptomatic infections. His call to action highlights a critical aspect of pandemic management that has garnered attention as hospitals face growing pressures to contain the virus. Prof. Swanton’s remarks come amid rising evidence that hospitals are becoming significant hotspots for disease transmission. Despite stringent social distancing measures and infection control protocols, the unique environment of healthcare settings—where individuals are in close proximity and often dealing with high-risk cases—presents an ongoing challenge for infection control. The presence of asymptomatic individuals who can unknowingly spread the virus exacerbates this challenge, making regular screening of healthcare workers a crucial component of effective infection control. “For all our fuss about social distancing, we are fairly ignoring one of the main routes of infection in front of our eyes,” Prof. Swanton remarked. “That’s almost untenable to argue you should haven’t been screening and isolating healthcare workers.” His statement underscores the importance of addressing the gap in current infection control practices and the need for proactive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within healthcare facilities. The Francis Crick Institute is taking a significant step towards addressing this issue by launching a pilot program next week to screen staff at University College Hospital (UCH). This initiative aims to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 cases among healthcare workers, thereby reducing the risk of transmission to patients and colleagues. The pilot program represents a proactive approach to managing infection risks and could serve as a model for broader implementation if successful. Despite the potential benefits of this screening approach, it is important to note that it has not yet received explicit endorsement from the government. There have been no official indications that a nationwide strategy for weekly screening of healthcare workers is under consideration. This absence of a unified national strategy raises questions about the consistency and comprehensiveness of infection control measures across different healthcare settings. The Francis Crick Institute’s testing lab is well-equipped to support such an initiative, with the capacity to run 3,000 tests a day. This capability positions the institute as a key player in addressing the need for regular screening and highlights the potential for scaling up such efforts if they prove effective. The ability to rapidly test and identify asymptomatic cases could significantly enhance the safety of both patients and healthcare workers. The benefits of regular screening for healthcare workers are manifold. Firstly, it would allow for the early identification of asymptomatic carriers, reducing the likelihood of undetected transmission within healthcare environments. Secondly, it would provide valuable data on the prevalence of the virus among healthcare staff, informing public health strategies and resource allocation. Finally, it would help maintain the trust and safety of healthcare workers, who are on the front lines of the pandemic and face significant risks in their daily work. As discussions continue about the most effective strategies for managing COVID-19, the implementation of regular screening for healthcare workers should be seriously considered. By adopting such measures, healthcare facilities can better protect patients, reduce the risk of transmission, and contribute to the overall effort to control the pandemic. The experience of the pilot program at UCH will be closely watched and could influence future policies and practices in the fight against COVID-19. In conclusion, the call for weekly COVID-19 screening for healthcare workers reflects a critical need to enhance infection control measures within healthcare settings. The pilot program at the Francis Crick Institute, combined with the institute’s robust testing capacity, offers a promising approach to addressing the challenges of asymptomatic transmission. As the situation evolves, it is essential for policymakers, healthcare leaders, and public health officials to consider and support strategies that prioritize the safety and well-being of both patients and healthcare workers.

A possible concern is that screening could lead to large numbers of doctors and nurses, who are otherwise well, being required to self-isolate. But the alternative – leaving asymptomatic, but potentially infectious staff on the wards – runs contrary to the principle of “do no harm”, Swanton said.

They’re too scared to go to hospital and you can understand why

Patients were very aware of the risk, he added, and were staying at home due to justified fears that they could contract the virus by attending hospitals or seeing GPs. The situation appears to be causing fewer emergency calls from people who have suffered strokes or heart attacks, potentially fuelling the rise in non-coronavirus deaths seen in figures released this week. Those with other conditions may also be deterred from seeking medical help. On Thursday the Guardian reported that London A&E chiefs were concerned that patients were staying away, saying in a meeting last week: “People don’t want to go near hospital. As a result salvageable conditions are not being treated.” Swanton, who is also chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, said: “I’m concerned that cancer patients need to be able to have the confidence to come into wards. We’re in this for another month at least, probably two or three. That’s a very long time to have a delayed cancer diagnosis.” There is growing evidence that a significant proportion of people infected with Covid-19 show few or no symptoms and that up to half of transmission may take place before symptoms occur. A study of people onboard the formerly quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was docked in Yokohama, Japan, found 328 of the 634 positive cases (52%) were asymptomatic at the time of testing, and other studies have found a range of 20-80% of people carrying the virus but showing no symptoms. To identify such cases, healthcare workers had ideally to be screened weekly in high-risk areas, Swanton said. Graham Cooke, professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College London, agreed that screening should be seriously considered as the testing capacity is increased this month. “I do think we need to raise the conversation about large-scale testing in healthcare settings,” Cooke said. “Now we’ve got good evidence that there’s significant transmission in people who are pre-symptomatic. We’ve got concerns about transmission in hospitals and we’ve got much-improved capacity for testing. There are reasons to be cautious, but one of them is not to be afraid of what we might find.” – The Guardian –