COVID Testing in the Workplace: Return to Work Testing in an Occupational Cohort
This article has been Reviewed by the following groups
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
- Evaluated articles (ScreenIT)
Abstract
Background
The Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant resulted in significant community-based transmission. Numerous occupational settings have employed surveillance testing strategies to minimize occupational exposure and return workers safely to work following isolation.
Methods
From an occupational COVID-19 testing program, we obtained longitudinal (February 2021-January 2022) saliva-based RT-qPCR results and starting December 27th, 2021, daily on-site molecular over-the-counter (OTC) nasal swab-based isothermal nucleic acid amplification test (molecular OTC; Cue Health COVID-19 test) results. We quantified the fraction of tests with PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values <30 on each day post detection from suspected and confirmed Omicron infections (n=37), compared results to molecular OTC testing, and measured workplace and household transmission. We evaluated return-to-work timing using a post-isolation, two-test threshold of Ct >30, or two negative molecular OTC tests over a 24 hour period, or a single PCR test >30 plus negative molecular OTC test.
Results
From the paired testing cohort, 37 (48%) individuals tested positive; all 37 were vaccinated. All individuals tested positive ≤1 day after a previous negative test, and 19 (51.3%) remained PCR-positive with Ct values <30 at day 5. While 3 (8.1%) remained PCR-positive with a Ct value <30 on day 10, no individuals remained PCR-positive on day 12. The average time to PCR clearance/return-to-work was 7.94 days (median=9.5 days). Time to clearance for those boosted (n=8; 7.75 days) and those not yet boosted (8.04 days) did not differ ( p =0.49). Peak viral load measured by PCR was 1.97 days from the initial positive test. There were no cases of transmission after returning to work.
Conclusions
A large percentage of individuals remain contagious at day 5 post first positive test based on serial PCR testing and can continue until day 12. Early discontinuation of isolation can utilize a two test framework separated by 24 hours. Rapid onsite tests may be useful.
Article activity feed
-
SciScore for 10.1101/2022.02.09.22270653: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Ethics IRB: Study oversight: In accordance with the guidelines, this work with de-identified samples was approved for research by the SUNY Downstate Institutional Review Board & Privacy Board under the title “Pilot program for instituting massive COVID19 surveillance screening in schools and the workplace (IRB#1603504-6). Sex as a biological variable not detected. Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Table 2: Resources
Software and Algorithms Sentences Resources For whole genome sequencing, RNA was extracted and confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive by RT-qPCR with the Thermo Fisher TaqPath SARS-CoV-2 assay. Thermo Fisher TaqPathsuggested: NoneResults from OddPub: We did …
SciScore for 10.1101/2022.02.09.22270653: (What is this?)
Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.
Table 1: Rigor
Ethics IRB: Study oversight: In accordance with the guidelines, this work with de-identified samples was approved for research by the SUNY Downstate Institutional Review Board & Privacy Board under the title “Pilot program for instituting massive COVID19 surveillance screening in schools and the workplace (IRB#1603504-6). Sex as a biological variable not detected. Randomization not detected. Blinding not detected. Power Analysis not detected. Table 2: Resources
Software and Algorithms Sentences Resources For whole genome sequencing, RNA was extracted and confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 positive by RT-qPCR with the Thermo Fisher TaqPath SARS-CoV-2 assay. Thermo Fisher TaqPathsuggested: NoneResults from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).
Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.
Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.
Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.
Results from rtransparent:- Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
- No protocol registration statement was detected.
Results from scite Reference Check: We found no unreliable references.
-
