Risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in hospitality employees in a highly frequented tourist area.

Autor:	Thiessen H; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Käding N; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Gebel B; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Borsche M; Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Graspeuntner S; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Kirchhoff L; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Ehlers M; Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Rahmöller J; Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Taube S; Institute of Virology and Cell Biology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Kramer J; LADR Laboratory Group Dr. Kramer & Colleagues, Geesthacht, Germany., Klein C; Institute of Neurogenetics, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Katalinic A; Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany., Rupp J; Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein/ Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Heliyon [Heliyon] 2022 Dec; Vol. 8 (12), pp. e12177. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Dec 08.
DOI:	10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12177
Abstrakt:	Right from the start of the COVID pandemic in January 2020, the entire tourism sector was put under immense pressure because of its assumed role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission and infection dynamics. Based on reports of single superspreading events in the early days of the pandemic, the hotel industry appeared in a bad light that impaired a strategic risk-assessment of existing transmission risks between tourists and employees. We prospectively analysed samples of 679 employees of 21 hotels and restaurants from July 2020 to December 2020, a time during which more than 1.5 million tourists visited the Lübeck/Ostholstein Baltic Sea vacation area in Northern Germany. Employees were tested up to three times for an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (PCR from nasopharyngeal swabs) and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies, and were asked to complete a short questionnaire. Despite the massive increase in tourist influx, no significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 cases was observed amongst employees of the tourism sector from July to September 2020. In a cluster-outbreak analysis of 104 study participants of one single hotel in the Lübeck/Ostholstein region in October 2020 being employed in the low-wage sector "housekeeping" could be determined as major risk factor for becoming infected. In conclusion, in a low incidence setting, touristic activities are safe under COVID-related hygiene measures for both the local population and employees of the tourism sector. Whereas, the field of work is a potential risk factor for increased infection dynamics. Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. (© 2022 The Author(s).)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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