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Emergency Department Utilization by In-hospital Healthcare Workers after COVID-19 Vaccination
Min Ji Park1, Yoo Jin Choi2, Sangchun Choi1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
Insights
COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare workers (HCWs) led to emergency department (ED) visits primarily for fever and myalgia. Most HCWs experienced mild symptoms, with no hospitalizations, indicating vaccine safety and the need for strategies to manage ED overcrowding.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Vaccinology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Observational study on emergency department (ED) utilization patterns among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs).
- Focus on HCWs in a Korean tertiary hospital following the introduction of fast-track and post-vaccination cohort zones (PVCZ) in the ED.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the ED utilization patterns of COVID-19 vaccinated HCWs.
- To identify common symptoms and outcomes following COVID-19 vaccination among HCWs presenting to the ED.
Main Methods:
- Included 4,703 HCWs vaccinated between March 4 and April 2, 2021.
- Collected data on demographics, occupation, vaccination type (ChAdOx1 or BNT162B2), and clinical information.
- Utilized SPSS v25.0 for statistical analysis.
Main Results:
- 153 (3.3%) vaccinated HCWs visited the ED, primarily reporting fever (66.9%) and myalgia (56.1%).
- The majority of ED visitors were female (73.5%), under 50 years old (81.1%), and in their 20s (59.5% of symptomatic cases).
- No hospitalizations occurred; 68.2% received parenteral management, and 67.5% were managed in the PVCZ.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 vaccinated HCWs visiting the ED experienced a high incidence of fever and myalgia but a low likelihood of severe illness.
- The study highlights the need for strategies to prevent unnecessary ED overcrowding as vaccination programs expand.
- Vaccine safety is supported by the low rate of serious adverse events requiring hospitalization.
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.
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