Feasibility of an online antigen self-testing strategy for SARS-CoV-2 addressed to health care and education professionals in Catalonia (Spain). The TESTAT- COVID Project

We aimed to implement a pilot intervention based on offering online COVID-19 selftest kits addressed to healthcare and education professionals in Spain during the peak of the 6th wave caused by Omicron variant. Kits were ordered online and sent by mail, participants answered an online acceptability/usability survey and uploaded the picture of results. 492 participants ordered a test, 304 uploaded the picture (61.8%). Eighteen positive cases were detected (5.9%). 92.2% were satisfied/very satisfied with the intervention; and 92.5% found performing the test easy/very easy. We demonstrated that implementing online COVID-19 self-testing in schools and healthcare settings in Spain is feasible. Key findingsO_LIWe implemented a pilot intervention based on offering online COVID-19 selftest kits in Spain. C_LIO_LIWe demonstrated the feasibility of the intervention during the peak of the 6th wave caused by Omicron variant. C_LIO_LIThe intervention counted with high acceptability among healthcare and education professionals in Spain. C_LIO_LIOur results may contribute to define screening strategies addressed to key populations, particularly during peaks of high community transmission of SARS-CoV-2. C_LI

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG Specific Antibodies among Healthcare Workers in the Northern Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain, after the first pandemic wave

BackgroundThe rapid spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) around the world has caused a global pandemic, infecting millions of individuals worldwide, with an unprecedented impact in health care systems worldwide. Healthcare workers are one of the risk groups that need to be well characterized due to their strategic role in the management of patients, presently and in prevention of healthcare needs for future outbreaks. This study presents the results of the first SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study in the Northern Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain. MethodsIgG SARS-CoV2 antibodies were analyzed in serum samples from 7563 healthcare workers of the Northern Metropolitan Area of Barcelona taken during the pandemia (from May 4th to May 22nd, 2020) by chemiluminescence assays. ResultsA total of 779 of 7563 (10.3%) healthcare workers had detectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG (specific for either S1/S2 or N antigens). No significant differences were observed between those working at primary care or at the reference hospital. Interestingly, in 29 (8.53%) of the previously confirmed positive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) patients SARS-CoV-2 IgG (S1/S2 or recombinant N antigen) were negative. ConclusionSeroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG in the healthcare workers of the Nord Metropolitan Area of Barcelona was significantly increased in comparison with the general population in the same geographical area. These results give us an important insight for a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology, in a collective that is essential for the response against this pandemic.