Emergency Department Utilization by In-hospital Healthcare Workers after COVID-19 Vaccination
10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e196
- Author:
Min Ji PARK
1
;
Yoo Jin CHOI
;
Sangchun CHOI
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2021;36(27):e196-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background:This is an observational study to analyze an emergency department (ED) utilization pattern of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinated in-hospital healthcare workers (HCWs).
Methods:We included 4,703 HCWs who were administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine between March 4 and April 2, 2021, in a tertiary hospital in Korea where fast-track and post-vaccination cohort zone (PVCZ) were introduced in ED. We analyzed data of participants' age, sex, occupation, date and type of vaccination, and their clinical information using SPSS v25.0.
Results:The sample comprised HCWs, who received either the ChAdOx1 (n = 4,458) or the BNT162B2 (n = 245) vaccines; most participants were female (73.5%), and 81.1% were under 50 years old. Further, 153 (3.3%) visited the ED and reported experiencing fever (66.9%) and myalgia (56.1%). Additionally, 91(59.5%) of them were in their 20s, and 106 (67.5%) were assigned to the PVCZ. Lastly, 107 (68.2%) of the patients received parenteral management.No patient required hospitalization.
Conclusion:In conclusion, vaccinated HCWs who visited the ED with adverse events had a high incidence of fever and a low likelihood of developing serious illnesses. As the COVID-19 vaccination program for Korean citizens continues to expand, strategies to minimize unnecessary ED overcrowding should be put into effect.
