Two systems have been implemented to track and better understand infections within this population. First, a surveillance system that allows healthcare facilities to report cases of COVID-19 among all healthcare and non-healthcare staff using an online questionnaire. Second, an individual survey targeting all healthcare professionals (hospital staff, private practitioners, nursing homes, other medical-social facilities, etc.). The data collected on a voluntary basis is, for the time being, incomplete. Santé publique France, in collaboration with the Study Group on Healthcare Workers’ Exposure to Infectious Agents (Geres) and supported by the Centers for the Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections (CPias), invites all healthcare facilities to contribute to this surveillance, as well as all healthcare professionals to participate in this individual survey. These two tools will complement, for the epidemiological surveillance of a highly exposed population, those already in place for the general population.

A necessary survey of all healthcare stakeholders, still incomplete

Until now, existing data did not provide a comprehensive view of SARS-CoV-2 exposure among healthcare professionals facing this epidemic.

Based on this observation, Santé publique France has partnered with GERES, the CPIA, operational hygiene teams, and the French Society of Occupational Medicine to develop a surveillance protocol providing indicators to track the epidemic’s impact on the health of professionals in public and private inpatient healthcare facilities since March 1, 2020.

The initial results of this surveillance conducted by Santé publique France and GERES show that, as of May 10, 2020, 25,337 cases of COVID-19 among healthcare and non-healthcare staff had been reported since March 1, 2020, by more than 1,091 facilities, and 13 of these individuals have died. Santé publique France extends its gratitude for all the data collected, which enables the provision of regular updates. The number of participating facilities can still be expanded and strengthened.

A web-based questionnaire specifically for healthcare facilities

The principles of the healthcare facility surveillance protocol, implemented on April 22, are as follows: a designated contact person within the facility (occupational health, hygiene team, healthcare administration, etc.) is assigned to complete a weekly questionnaire via a dedicated web application.

The data collected is aggregated and completely anonymous; it concerns:

• The number of new healthcare professionals and other employees (maintenance staff, administrative staff, etc.) who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the previous week, broken down by occupational category (including: physician, nurse, nursing assistant, non-clinical staff) and specialty of the department(s) in which the professional worked during the two weeks preceding the infection (internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, intensive care, post-acute care, long-term care, other);

• The number of new deaths related to SARS-CoV-2 infection reported among infected healthcare professionals;

• When the first questionnaire is sent, historical data dating back to March 1, 2020, is also requested.

Cases among these healthcare professionals are recorded based on the following definitions:

• Confirmed case: any healthcare worker employed in a healthcare facility² whose COVID-19 infection is confirmed by a SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test;

• Probable case: any healthcare worker employed in a healthcare facility who is identified as infected by the facility’s “COVID-19” unit or the facility’s infectious disease specialist (based on clinical criteria, contact history, or suggestive imaging findings);

• The deaths recorded are those related to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A Geres study for other healthcare facilities and professions

In parallel with this surveillance in healthcare facilities, Geres, with the support of Santé publique France, has implemented a voluntary individual survey intended for all healthcare professionals infected with SARS-CoV-2, regardless of their profession (nurse, nursing assistant, physician, physical therapists, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, radiology technicians, orderlies, paramedics, psychologists, dietitians, dentists, etc.) and their place of practice (healthcare facility, private practice, nursing home, other medical-social facility, etc.).

Its purpose is to identify the factors contributing to SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers, which may have occurred during contact with patients, among colleagues, or in their private lives. Only information regarding risks related to professional activity is detailed.

In the medical-social sector, cases involving facility staff since March 1, 2020, are available in the epidemiological report published weekly by Santé publique France.