SARS-CoV-2 Exposure and Infection Among Health Care Personnel — Minnesota, March 6–July 11, 2020
Authors: Ashley Fell, Amanda Beaudoin, Paige D’Heilly, Erica Mumm, Cory Cole, Laura Tourdot, Abbey Ruhland, Carrie Klumb, Josh Rounds, Brittney Bailey, Gina Liverseed, Molly Peterson, J.P. Mahoehney, Malia Ireland, Maria Bye, Sudha Setty, Maureen Leeds, Joanne Taylor, Stacy Holzbauer, Nicky Anderson, Rich Austin, Chris Ballard, Nick Braun, Margaret Brown, Rachel Cahoon, Amy Casey-Paal, Dominique Cavallo, Ben Christianson, Pete Cole, Sarah Conboy, Jessica Davis, Karmen Dippmann, Karl Fernstrom, Lydia Fess, Barbara Frohnert, Patti Fuller, Ruth Furan, Paul Germann, Shelbi Giesel, Christopher Greene, Erin Hammell, Rachel Hannigan, Nicole Hedeen, Mike Hentges, David Hesse, Mona Highsmith, Catherine Johnson, Susan Kalis, Nathan Kemp, Nathan Kemp, Joan Kindt, Hannah Kinzer, Gretchen Koenigs, Alina Kraynak, Mary Beth Lacina, Susan LaMotte, Amy Longhenry, Jerry Malloy, Jamie Margetta, Olga Mastrodemos, Davis Melin, Laurie Menke, Michelle Messer, Stephanie Meyer, Greg Nelson, Jessica Nelson, James Noyola, Elizabeth Palmi, James Peacock, Tina Peters, Molly Peterson, Lauren Piper, Angela Serfling, Alyssa Steidl, Emily Styles, Erin Tibbetts, Marie Tran, Daniel Tranter, Brenda Waltz, Cynthia Wentkiewicz, Kari Witte, John Woodside, Mary Ellen Bennett, Kathy Como-Sabetti, Richard Danila, Kris Ehresmann, Tammy Hale, Leslie Lovett, Ruth Lynfield, Karen Martin, Kirk Smith, Jacy Walters
Journal: MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2020)

Department of Health COVID-19 Response Task ForceHealth care personnel (HCP) are at increased risk for infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 , as a result of their exposure to patients or community contacts with 2).Since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Minnesota was reported on March 6, 2020, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has required health care facilities* to report HCP † exposures to persons with confirmed COVID-19 for exposure risk assessment and to enroll HCP with higher-risk exposures into quarantine and symptom monitoring.During March 6-July 11, MDH and 1,217 partnering health care facilities assessed 21,406 HCP exposures; among these, 5,374 (25%) were classified as higher-risk § (3).Higher-risk exposures involved direct patient care (66%) and nonpatient care interactions (e.g., with coworkers and social and household contacts) (34%).Within 14 days following a higher-risk exposure, nearly one third (31%) of HCP who were enrolled in monitoring reported COVID-19-like symptoms, ¶ and more than one half (52%) of enrolled HCP with symptoms received positive * Health care facilities as defined by MDH include acute care hospitals, critical access hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, adult foster care, treatment facilities, dialysis centers, outpatient clinics, dental clinics, home health care, and hospice.† HCP as defined by MDH include, but are not limited to, emergency medical service personnel, nurses, nursing assistants, physicians, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, pharmacists, students and trainees, contractual staff members not employed by the health care facility, and persons not directly involved in patient care, but who could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the health care setting (e.g., clerical, dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, engineering and facilities management, administrative, billing, and volunteer personnel).HCP does not include clinical laboratory personnel.§ During February 8-May 18, 2020, CDC exposure risk assessment guidance included medium-and high-risk categories, with risk level based on PPE worn and type of potential contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19.On May 19, CDC's risk assessment was updated to include a single higher-risk exposure category to include close (within 6 feet), prolonged (≥15 minutes or of any duration during an aerosol-generating procedure) contact with a person with confirmed COVID-19 or their secretions or excretions, while not wearing appropriate PPE (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidancerisk-assesment-hcp.html), or close, prolonged contact with cases in the household or community (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-risk-assesment-hcp.html).For the purpose of this analysis, medium-, high-and higher-risk exposures were combined into a single variable and identified as "higher-risk exposures."Higher-risk exposures assessed by MDH included nonpatient care interactions (e.g., coworkers, social contacts, and from household contacts).