Objective: To document COVID-19 sero-prevalence, prior testing, symptom experiences, and risk factors in a sample of community health center (CHC) workers.
Methods: Descriptive statistics and log-binomial regression were used to analyze an electronic employee survey linked with COVID-19 antibody results. The sample included 378 employees who completed the survey; 325 had complete lab data.
Results: The sero-positivity rate was 15.4%. One third of sero-positive participants had no previous COVID-19 symptoms or were unsure. Working on-site only and/or with direct patient contact was not associated with sero-positivity. Employees in their 20s were more likely to test positive than employees ages 50+, controlling for sex, race, and region (PR = 2.96; P < 0.05).
Conclusions: With CHCs central to COVID-19 response and vaccination efforts, public health messaging should remind CHC workers, especially younger employees, of their risks of community-based exposure.
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