A retrospective study on the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Health Care Workers in Italy

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on Health Care Workers (HCWs) as they played an essential role in the management of the pandemic. The Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL) and the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) developed a retrospective study to analyse COVID-19 cases among HCWs during the first wave. The aim of this study is to understand trends and characteristics of infections among HCWs. Materials and Methods: Data were collected retrospectively and anonymously from administrative source of Regions between May-September 2020, referring to HCWs infected from the beginning of the pandemic until 30 April 2020. We used a questionnaire asking socio-demographic and occupational information and characteristics of contagion and disease outcome. Results: We received 15,926 valid questionnaires, 63.7% from Lombardy. The mean age is 49 years;67.4% are women. 47.9% are nurses, 20.5% doctors and 19.7% health and social care professionals. 78.0% work in hospital setting, 13.3% in local setting, 8.7% in other fields. Regarding hospital setting, the medical area counts 21.2% of cases, followed by 15.6% in the departments converted to COVID-19 care and 10.2% in surgical area. 22.8% of HCWs were hospitalized, 1.2% were hospitalized in intensive care and 0.4% died. Conclusions: This study highlights the main reasons of the overload put on the national health system by the first wave of the pandemic. Improved knowledge, availability of PPE and a tight vaccination campaign for HCWs strongly changed the trend of infections among health workers, with substantial elimination of serious and fatal cases.