• G O'Sullivan, S Jacob, P M Barrett, and J Gallagher.
• Occupational Health Department, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
• Occup Med (Lond). 2021 Apr 9; 71 (2): 95-98.

BackgroundIt is recognized that healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of contracting Covid-19. It is incumbent on occupational health staff to recognize potential symptoms of Covid-19 among HCWs.AimsThe aims of the study were to describe the presenting symptoms of HCWs who developed Covid-19 in Ireland, and to estimate the odds of specific symptoms being associated with a positive Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result.MethodsA retrospective chart review of all symptomatic HCWs who self-presented for Covid-19 testing in Cork from March to May 2020 was conducted. A sex-matched case-control study was carried out to compare presenting features among those who tested positive compared to those who tested negative. Univariate and multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models were run using Stata 15.0 to identify the symptoms associated with positive Covid-19 swab results.ResultsThree hundred and six HCWs were included in the study; 102 cases and 204 controls. Common presenting features among cases were fever/chills (55%), cough (44%) and headache (35%). The symptoms which were significantly associated with a positive Covid-19 swab result were loss of taste/smell (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 12.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.36-108.79), myalgia (aOR 2.36, 95% 1.27-4.38), fatigue (aOR 2.31, 95% CI 1.12-4.74), headache (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.19-3.74) and fever/chills (aOR 1.88, 95% CI 1.12-3.15).ConclusionsFever, fatigue, myalgia, loss of taste/smell and headache were associated with increased odds of a Covid-19 diagnosis among symptomatic self-referred HCWs compared with those had negative swab results. Testing criteria for HCWs should reflect the broad range of possible symptoms of Covid-19.© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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