Diagnostic support to medical teams at Hospital das Clínicas and University Hospital of the University of São Paulo by the Emergency Intervention Cell of the Center for Advanced Studies and Epidemic Control of SARS-CoV-2 of the Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, São Paulo-SP, Brazil

Healthcare professionals are classified as a high risk group for SARS-CoV-2 infection due to close contact with patients, involvement in medical procedures, handling of excreta and fomites, and exposure to high viral loads from severe and critical infections. Hospital SARS outbreaks in 2003 were reported in different countries affected by the epidemic including Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Toronto and mainland China in 2003. Epidemiological analysis of the SARS epidemic in Hong Kong demonstrated that healthcare professionals are an extremely susceptible group to infections in epidemic outbreaks, mainly due to the large volume of infected patients requiring hospital care during outbreaks. Epidemics of SARS-CoV and CoV-MERS indicate high numbers of nosocomial infections, which may represent up to 70% of local infection cases. This project aims to provide a diagnostic support service to different health professionals with direct contact with patients including doctors, nurses, nursing technicians, triage attendants and other professionals. Respiratory samples including naso- and oropharyngeal swabs will be collected from professionals involved in the care of patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 at Hospital das Clínicas and University Hospital of the University of São Paulo. Samples will be collected at the respective hospitals and sent refrigerated to the Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP for molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 once or twice a week. We intend to release diagnostic results within a maximum time of 48 hours in order to allow the relocation or removal of professionals in order to reduce the chance of nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital environments