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?:abstract
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OBJECTIVES: To describe a cohort of self-isolating healthcare workers (HCWs) with presumed COVID-19 DESIGN: A cross-sectional, single-centre study SETTING: A large, teaching hospital based in Central London with tertiary infection services PARTICIPANTS: 236 HCWs completed a survey distributed by internal staff email bulletin 167 were women and 65 men MEASURES: Information on symptomatology, exposures and health-seeking behaviour were collected from participants by self-report RESULTS: The 236 respondents reported illness compatible with COVID-19 and there was an increase in illness reporting during March 2020 Diagnostic swabs were not routinely performed Cough (n=179, 75 8%), fever (n=138, 58 5%), breathlessness (n=84, 35 6%) were reported Anosmia was reported in 42 2% Fever generally settled within 1 week (n=110/138, 88%) Several respondents remained at home and did not seek formal medical attention despite reporting severe breathlessness and measuring hypoxia (n=5/9, 55 6%) 2 patients required hospital admission but recovered following oxygen therapy 84 respondents (41 2%) required greater than the obligated 7 days off work and 9 required greater than 3 weeks off CONCLUSION: There was a significant increase in staff reporting illness compatible with possible COVID-19 during March 2020 Subsequent serology studies at the same hospital study site have confirmed sero-positivity for COVID-19 up to 45% by the end of April 2020 in frontline HCWs The study revealed a concerning lack of healthcare seeking in respondents with significant red flag symptoms (severe breathlessness, hypoxia) This study also highlighted anosmia as a key symptom of COVID-19 early in the pandemic, prior to this symptom being more widely recognised as a feature of COVID-19
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