The first line. Study on population of caregivers in contact with epidemic patients in the Sahel, the case of SARS-CoV-2.

The health systems of countries in the South and the North have been directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers have paid a high price. The aim of this study was to better describe the personnel who are on the front line when patients visit health care facilities and to analyze their risk factors for exposure, their perception of infection and the prevention practices implemented by these health care workers.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted over a 6-month period from October 2021 to March 2022 (i.e., at a distance from the index cases) among health care workers in 62 integrated health centers and five public urban hospitals in Niamey and Dosso. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, co-morbidities, knowledge and attitudes, and vaccination status was collected by means of a questionnaire. Blood samples were taken for serological analysis for each agent included.

RESULTS: A total of 733 agents were included, mostly women (628, 85.67%) with a mean age of 40.5 years. Only 5.5% (40/733) of the workers reported having been in contact with a positive case of Covid-19. The most common method of protection was the use of alcohol and soap for hand hygiene. 76% of them reported having been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV2 virus. However, only 7.7% reported having used a Covid-19 diagnostic test in the last few months. IgM and IgG COVID-19 serologies were positive in 1.2% and 92.2% of the health care workers, respectively, during the survey period.

CONCLUSION: In Niger, frontline health workers have been widely exposed to SARS CoV-2, but most of them don't think so. As a result, in their daily practice, they make poor use of means to prevent and control COVID-19 infection and rarely use diagnostic tests in case of illness. Vaccination was widely accepted by these staff, according to their statements.