By Ethan Covey
Following the implementation of a nonmandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, 94% of COVID-19 infections at a Mississippi medical center occurred in unvaccinated health care workers (HCWs).
The study, which was presented at the IDWeek 2021 virtual conference (poster 565), illustrates the positive effect that widespread vaccination has in health care settings, according to the investigators.
“Health care workers have been at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 not only from the community but also within the health care setting,” said Bhagyashri D. Navalkele, MD, an assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, in Jackson. “Studies performed early in the pandemic [MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1576–1583] reported 6% of hospitalizations and 4% of deaths [from COVID-19] among health care workers.”
The study was undertaken to assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on HCWs’ risk for developing the disease at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where a nonmandatory vaccination policy was put into effect on Dec. 16, 2020. Between Dec. 16 and April 30, 2021, 5,687 of the center’s 11,785 employees received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and an additional 5,855 received one dose.
From Jan. 4 to April 30, 2021, 1,329 HCWs underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing, 217 (16.3%) of whom tested positive. Among these, 204 cases (94%) were in unvaccinated staff. Seven cases occurred in partially vaccinated HCWs, and six cases were documented among individuals who were fully vaccinated.
Although six cases of breakthrough infection occurred, no facility outbreaks were documented among asymptomatic, fully vaccinated HCWs.
“In this study, we have shown that COVID-19 vaccination indeed does decrease the risk for developing COVID-19 infection,” Dr. Navalkele said. “HCW vaccination is extremely important to help decrease the disease burden, avoid staffing shortages and create a safe environment in health care facilities to prevent transmission to other staff and patients.”
