Journal article

State-wide genomic epidemiology investigations of COVID-19 in healthcare workers in 2020 Victoria, Australia: Qualitative thematic analysis to provide insights for future pandemic preparedness

AE Watt, NL Sherry, P Andersson, CR Lane, S Johnson, M Wilmot, K Horan, M Sait, SA Ballard, C Crachi, DJ Beck, C Marshall, MA Kainer, R Stuart, C McGrath, JC Kwong, P Bass, PG Kelley, A Crowe, S Guy Show all

Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific | ELSEVIER | Published : 2022

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has affected many healthcare workers (HCWs) globally. We performed state-wide SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiological investigations to identify HCW transmission dynamics and provide recommendations to optimise healthcare system preparedness for future outbreaks. Methods: Genome sequencing was attempted on all COVID-19 cases in Victoria, Australia. We combined genomic and epidemiologic data to investigate the source of HCW infections across multiple healthcare facilities (HCFs) in the state. Phylogenetic analysis and fine-scale hierarchical clustering were performed for the entire dataset including community and healthcare cases. Facilities provided standardised epidemiologic..

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