New coronavirus study finds hospitals are safer places than you might think

Healthcare workers appear to be at low risk of coronavirus (Covid-19) infection from people admitted to hospital with the virus, according to a study we’ve part-funded.

Initial findings from a new study taking samples from NHS healthcare workers suggest that infection among healthcare workers at Bart’s Health in London is more likely to reflect the spread of the virus in the general community than increased exposure within a hospital.

The team, including six of our BHF-funded researchers, found that the rate of Covid-19 infection in hospital staff at Barts Health in London fell from seven per cent to one per cent after the UK lockdown was introduced.

Reassurance for all

Professor James Moon, lead researcher of the study and Head of Research at the new Nightingale Hospital London, said:

“Our research indicates that in the past 2-3 weeks, despite high numbers of patients with Covid-19 in our wards and intensive care units, rates of staff infection have fallen so much that it is unlikely the staff are being infected by patients.

“This low level of infection amongst healthcare staff should reassure patients and visitors that, as the pandemic recedes, infection from healthcare workers without symptoms is unlikely to present major risk.”

Weekly blood samples and nasal swabs were taken from 400 healthcare workers who did not have symptoms of the virus. Anyone who developed symptoms of Covid-19 were requested to self-isolate at home.

The researchers believe the data reinforces the need for regular testing of healthcare workers, switching to the testing of all staff, even with no symptoms, if general infection rates rise.

BHF enables researchers to tackle Covid-19

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, our Associate Medical Director, said:

“Research like this is critical if we’re to understand, and eventually effectively manage and treat this virus.

“As one of the UK's largest medical research charities we know that we can play an important part in the response, and we’re empowering our army of researchers to contribute to the fight against Covid-19.

“This clinical study showcases the inspirational work of our BHF researchers, who we know are working tirelessly to make strides in our understanding of the virus. Their discoveries could help protect all of us, including people with heart and circulatory disease, who can be particularly vulnerable to complications caused by the virus, and ultimately help save lives in the UK and across the world.”

This research was also supported by the National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research at Barts and University College London Hospital.