AUTHOR=Smith-Jeffcoat Sarah E. , Sleweon Sadia , Koh Mitsuki , Khalil George M. , Schechter Marcos C. , Rebolledo Paulina A. , Kasinathan Vyjayanti , Hoffman Adam , Rossetti Rebecca , Shragai Talya , O'Laughlin Kevin , Espinosa Catherine C. , Bankamp Bettina , Bowen Michael D. , Paulick Ashley , Gargis Amy S. , Folster Jennifer M. , da Silva Juliana , Biedron Caitlin , Stewart Rebekah J. , Wang Yun F. , Kirking Hannah L. , Tate Jacqueline E. , CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response GA-10 Field , Miller Halie K. , Adeyemo AdeSubomi O. , Moorman Anne C. , Bauman Brenda L. , Joseph Kahaliah , O'Hegarty Michelle , Kamal Nazia , Cohen Mila , Britton Amadea , Callahan Courtney T. , Fonseka Jamila , Agyemang Elfriede , Lawson Miriam J. , Deutsch-Feldman Molly , Tiwari Tejpratap S. P. , Sami Samira , Tao Hong TITLE=Risk-Factors for Exposure Associated With SARS-CoV-2 Detection After Recent Known or Potential COVID-19 Exposures Among Patients Seeking Medical Care at a Large Urban, Public Hospital in Fulton County, Georgia — A Cross-Sectional Investigation JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health VOLUME=10 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.809356 DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.809356 ISSN=2296-2565 ABSTRACT=

We aimed to describe frequency of COVID-19 exposure risk factors among patients presenting for medical care at an urban, public hospital serving mostly uninsured/Medicare/Medicaid clients and risk factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Consenting, adult patients seeking care at a public hospital from August to November 2020 were enrolled in this cross-sectional investigation. Saliva, anterior nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-PCR. Participant demographics, close contact, and activities ≤14 days prior to enrollment were collected through interview. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among 1,078 participants, 51.8% were male, 57.0% were aged ≥50 years, 81.3% were non-Hispanic Black, and 7.6% had positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. Only 2.7% reported COVID-19 close contact ≤14 days before enrollment; this group had 6.79 adjusted odds of testing positive (95%CI = 2.78–16.62) than those without a reported exposure. Among participants who did not report COVID-19 close contact, working in proximity to ≥10 people (adjusted OR = 2.17; 95%CI = 1.03–4.55), choir practice (adjusted OR = 11.85; 95%CI = 1.44–97.91), traveling on a plane (adjusted OR = 5.78; 95%CI = 1.70–19.68), and not participating in an essential indoor activity (i.e., grocery shopping, public transit use, or visiting a healthcare facility; adjusted OR = 2.15; 95%CI = 1.07–4.30) were associated with increased odds of testing positive. Among this population of mostly Black, non-Hispanic participants seeking care at a public hospital, we found several activities associated with testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in addition to close contact with a case. Understanding high-risk activities for SARS-CoV-2 infection among different communities is important for issuing awareness and prevention strategies.