Cambridge University: 3% of Hospital Staff Could Be Infected With Coronavirus

Study suggests 3% of hospital staff may be unknowingly infected.

The study, carried out by Cambridge University researchers, saw more than 1,200 works at Addenbrookes Hospital tested for coronavirus.

More than 1,000 of the workers said they were fit to work during the research period, but 3% of them tested positive.

The implications of the new study, say senior authors Dr Mike Weekes and Professor Stephen Baker from the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease (CITIID), are that hospitals need to be vigilant and introduce screening programmes across their workforces. 

“Test! Test! Test! And then test some more,” said Dr Weekes.

“All staff need to get tested regularly for COVID-19, regardless of whether they have any sort of symptoms – this will be vital to stop infection spreading within the hospital setting.”

Researchers also looked at whether rates of infection were greater among staff working in “red” areas of the hospital, those areas caring for COVID-19 patients. Despite wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), “red” area staff were three times more likely to tested positive than staff working in COVID-19 free “green” areas.

The research was mainly funded by Wellcome and the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust.