Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain)

Tuells, Jose; Egoavil, Cecilia M.; Pena Pardo, María Angeles; Montagud, Ana C.; Montagud, Emilia; Caballero, Pablo; Zapater, Pedro; Puig-Barberá, Joan; Hurtado-Sanchez, Jose Antonio

doi:10.3390/ijerph18041908

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Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain)

Jose Tuells

^1,*

Cecilia M. Egoavil

^2,*,

María Angeles Pena Pardo

⁴,

^1,*

⁵

and

Jose Antonio Hurtado-Sanchez

⁶

Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine, Public Health and History of Science, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain

Clinical Pharmacology Unit, General University Hospital of Alicante, Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL Foundation), C/Pintor Baeza, 12, 03010 Alicante, Spain

Immunology Department, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain

⁴

Primary Care Pharmacy Service, University Hospital of Torrevieja, 03186 Torrevieja, Alicante, Spain

⁵

Vaccines Research Area FISABIO, 46020 Valencia, Spain

⁶

Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Alicante, 03690 Alicante, Spain

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Academic Editor: Paul B. Tchounwou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1908; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041908

Received: 30 December 2020 / Revised: 6 February 2021 / Accepted: 9 February 2021 / Published: 16 February 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Coronavirus and Influenza Epidemiology. Coronavirus Vaccine Studies and Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness. New Challenges in Analysis and Reporting)

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Abstract

The implementation of strategies to mitigate possible cases of COVID-19 were addressed at the University of Alicante for the safe reopening of the 2020/2021 academic year. To discover the prevalence of immunity against SARS-CoV-2, a study was designed using a rapid immunoassay test (carried out between 6 and 22 July 2020), and in addition a cross-sectional survey was conducted on risk factors, symptoms, predisposition for becoming vaccinated, and sources of information about COVID-19. A random sample, stratified by students, faculty, and administrative staff, was selected. The seroprevalence found was 2.64% (39/1479; 95% CI 1.8–3.4), and the adjusted seroprevalence was 2.89% (95% CI 2.1–3.7). The average age of the students was 23.2 years old, and 47.6 years old for staff. In relation to COVID-19, the following was found: 17.7% pauci-symptomatic, 1.3% symptomatic, 5.5% contact with cases, 4.9% confined, and 0.3% PCR positive. More than 90% complied with preventive measures. The proportion willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was 91%. Their sources of information were the Internet (74%) and television (70.1%). They requested that the university offer information (45.1%), training (27%), and provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (26.3%). Lastly, 87.9% would repeat the test. A plan was established that included the follow-up of cases and contacts, random sample testing, training courses, bimodal teaching, a specific website, and the distribution of PPE. View Full-Text

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; epidemiology; serological assay; cross-sectional study; higher education institutions; universities; undergraduates

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tuells, J.; Egoavil, C.M.; Pena Pardo, M.A.; Montagud, A.C.; Montagud, E.; Caballero, P.; Zapater, P.; Puig-Barberá, J.; Hurtado-Sanchez, J.A. Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 1908. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041908

AMA Style

Tuells J, Egoavil CM, Pena Pardo MA, Montagud AC, Montagud E, Caballero P, Zapater P, Puig-Barberá J, Hurtado-Sanchez JA. Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(4):1908. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041908

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tuells, Jose, Cecilia M. Egoavil, María A. Pena Pardo, Ana C. Montagud, Emilia Montagud, Pablo Caballero, Pedro Zapater, Joan Puig-Barberá, and Jose A. Hurtado-Sanchez. 2021. "Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain)" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 4: 1908. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041908

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Seroprevalence Study and Cross-Sectional Survey on COVID-19 for a Plan to Reopen the University of Alicante (Spain)

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