Community contact driving COVID-19 infections among healthcare workers

Dr Sandra Chambers, regional technical director at the South East Regional Health Authority said that the COVID-19 infection among healthcare workers was due to community contact. She noted that healthcare workers were getting the virus mainly from spaces where they “let their guard down”.

“For the most part, they get sick in the communities. Why? Because that is where you are relaxed,” said Dr Chambers. She noted that healthcare workers were well-protected when dealing with patients, however, during their lunch breaks and interaction with family, they often took off their masks. She added that there are “very, very few people who contract COVID-19 in the workspace”.

The most recent statistics (14 September) indicated that there are 152 healthcare workers off work due to COVID-19.  Ninety-three (93) healthcare workers in the SERHA region (Kingston and St Andrew, St Thomas and St Catherine) are in isolation with COVID-19, while 59 are in quarantine. In the Kingston and St Andrew region, there are 25 healthcare workers in quarantine, while 37 are in isolation.  In St Thomas, 19 workers are in quarantine and 15 workers are in isolation.  Additionally, in St Catherine, there are 15 healthcare workers in quarantine and 41 in isolation. Healthcare workers who are in isolation have tested positive for COVID-19, while those in quarantine have had contact and are awaiting COVID-19 test results.

Dr Chambers continued to say that one of the most notable COVID-19-related situations is that of the St Thomas Health Department. “The St Thomas Health Department has a complement of ten nurses. Six of the ten are out, so they only have four nurses executing the vaccination programme in St Thomas along with all other healthcare activities that have to do with St Thomas,” reported Dr Chambers. She added that this also affected the exercise of contact tracing.

“I think there are nurses who live together. They have to find accommodation in St Thomas and elect to live together. I think two of them were positive, and the others are in close contact,” said Dr Chambers when discussing the COVID-19 infected nurses who work in St Thomas.

The regional technical director also added that there was a challenge to send nurses to St Thomas because of the condition of the roads.  “I have to now see if I can find some nurses to send over there but the problem is that nobody wants to go to St Thomas, because getting there is difficult,” said Dr Chambers. She said even though there are measures in place to provide transportation for healthcare workers on lockdown days, it is not possible to provide transportation every day.

“Because remember the drivers also have issues. They are also out [with COVID-19]. It is affecting all categories of the health service,” said Dr. Chambers.

Dr Chambers pointed to St Catherine which is experiencing a high rate of COVID 19 cases. “St Catherine’s number is high, in relation to the population. The parish has a high percentage of positive COVID cases”, added Dr Chambers. She noted that Spanish Town Hospital had 16 healthcare workers in isolation.

When asked about the rate of vaccination among healthcare workers, Dr Chambers said, “That I cannot tell you.  But I can tell you for the most part, where we have the most hesitancy is in the nursing group”. She said while a large percentage of doctors have been vaccinated, numerous nurses have said they are waiting to be vaccinated. One of the hospitals with poor vaccination uptake by nurses is the Kingston Public Hospital. Contrastingly, Spanish Town Hospital has a high vaccination rate among nurses.

Additionally, Dr Marcia Johnson Campbell, medical officer of health for Hanover, at the Western Regional Health Authority says healthcare workers can be exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace and their ‘general day to day business’. “In our assessment, we have not always been able to determine where the exposure or what was the nature of the exposure that causes healthcare workers to be infected. So, we do know when persons are in their private space, they might not be as vigilant or diligent in their use of protective gear,” said Dr Johnson-Campbell. She added that there is a lot more diligence by healthcare workers in protecting themselves while at work, especially because of the availability of protective gear.