Surveillance of Coronavirus Infection among Indiana Firefighters
National Institute for Public Safety Health, Inc., Principal Investigator - Steven M. Moffatt, MD
RELEVANCE
The results of this study will be used to generate best practice guidelines to reduce firefighters’ risk for developing communicable diseases, so they may continue providing essential first-responder services during a pandemic.
METHODS
An estimated 1,684 firefighters from randomly selected large, medium, and small-sized fire departments will be recruited for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies testing during the study period. Early in year one, a phlebotomist will travel to the selected firehouses to draw blood specimens for analysis. Follow-up blood draws will occur during the annual physical examination within 12 and 24-months after the initial blood draw in year one to track changes in the SARS-CoV-2 quantitative antibody measures due to exposure or vaccination. Depression and anxiety questionnaires will be completed by firefighters at each data collection time period.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
SARS-CoV-2 antibody test results will be linked with the existing physical examination dataset to allow comparisons of the clinical, laboratory, fitness, and health behavioral characteristics of firefighters who were infected and not infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, infected with and without symptoms and firefighters with and without serious health outcomes or complications. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on firefighters’ behavioral health (depression and anxiety) will be determined and included in the comparison data analysis. A resource guide will be developed and disseminated using existing guidelines, the results of this study, and input from an expert advisory group.