TY - JOUR T1 - <em>Emergency Medicine Journal</em> COVID-19 monthly top five JF - Emergency Medicine Journal JO - Emerg Med J SP - 477 LP - 479 DO - 10.1136/emermed-2021-211598 VL - 38 IS - 6 AU - Laura Cottey AU - Ffion Barham AU - Blair Graham AU - Robert Hywel James AU - Stacey Webster AU - Felix Wood AU - Jason E Smith AU - Charlie Reynard A2 - , Y1 - 2021/06/01 UR - http://emj.bmj.com/content/38/6/477.abstract N2 - Following from the successful ‘RCEM weekly top five’ series starting in April 2020, this is the fifth of a monthly format for Emergency Medicine Journal (EMJ) readers. We have undertaken a focused search of the PubMed literature using a standardised COVID-19 search string. Our search between 1 March and 31 March 2021 returned 2613 papers limited to human subjects and English language. We also searched high-impact journals for papers of interest.Our team have narrowed down the most interesting, relevant and important of the papers and provided a critical snapshot of five of those we felt most deserved EMJ reader attention. Importantly, we have highlighted not only the main findings from the papers but key limitations and considerations for emergency medicine (EM) clinicians when interpreting the work. In doing so, we have created an accessible window into pertinent research findings for our busy colleagues during this fast-paced and ever-changing COVID-19 landscape.The papers are ranked in one of three categories, allowing you to focus on the papers that are most vital to your practice:Worth a peek—interesting, but not yet ready for prime time.Head turner—new concepts.Game changer—this paper could/should change practice.This month’s searches were undertaken by the team in Plymouth and the Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine. Next month we cross to Cork, Ireland.Topic: transmissionRating: head turnerIn this paper, Shorten et al present the results of a COVID-19 antibody screening programme and a COVID-19 symptom survey among staff in a large UK hospital.1 Overall, 17.4% of staff were seropositive for COVID-19 and there were several statistically significant findings within this group. Older staff were less likely to be seropositive than younger staff, as were staff of white ethnicity compared with those of black or Asian ethnicity. Rates of seropositivity among staff increased as patients with COVID-19 spent … ER -