COVID-19 in healthcare workers: lessons from SARS and MERS epidemics and perspectives for chemoprophylaxis and vaccines.

INTRODUCTION The world is now facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Past experience with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and early reports about SARS-CoV-2 infection suggest that healthcare settings and healthcare workers (HCWs) are vulnerable in the context of the emergence of a new coronaviruses. AREAS COVERED To highlight the need for prophylactic strategies particularly for HCWs, we identified SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in healthcare settings and the incidence of infections in HCWs by a search on MEDLINE and MEDxRIV (for SARS-Cov-2). To identify prophylactic strategies against, we conducted a search on MEDLINE and clinicaltrials.gov about studies involving SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. EXPERT OPINION HCWs accounts for a great part of SARS, MERS and SARS-CoV-2 infections, they may also contribute to the spread of the disease, particularly in healthcare settings and contribute to nosocomial outbreaks. Some preventive strategies were evaluated in previous emerging coronaviruses epidemics, particularly in MERS-CoV. For COVID-19 prevention, different chemoprophylaxis with drug repositioning and new agents are under evaluation, and different vaccine candidates entered clinical development, with clinical trials. HCWs are a crucial target population for pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis.