Occupational Exposures and Mitigation Strategies Among Homeless Shelter Workers at Risk of COVID-19

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gonzales E ; Huster K ; Keating R ; Laws RL ; McMichael TM ; Mosites E ; Rao, Carol Y. ; Robinson T ; Tobolowsky FA
• Description:
  Objective: To describe the work environment and COVID-19 mitigation measures for homeless shelter workers and assess occupational risk factors for COVID-19. Methods: Between June 9-August 10, 2020, we conducted a self-administered survey among homeless shelter workers in Washington, Massachusetts, Utah, Maryland, and Georgia. We calculated frequencies for work environment, personal protective equipment use, and SARS-CoV-2 testing history. We used generalized linear models to produce unadjusted prevalence ratios (PR) to assess risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results: Of the 106 respondents, 43.4% reported frequent close contact with clients; 75% were worried about work-related SARS-CoV-2 infections; 15% reported testing positive. Close contact with clients was associated with testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (PR 3.97, 95%CI 1.06, 14.93). Conclusions: Homeless shelter workers may be at risk of being exposed to individuals with COVID-19 during the course of their work. Frequent close contact with clients was associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Protecting these critical essential workers by implementing mitigation measures and prioritizing for COVID-19 vaccination is imperative during the pandemic. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Communicable Diseases Epidemiology Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Risk Assessment Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  COVID-19 Disease Transmission Emergency Shelters Occupational Exposure Personal Protective Equipment PPE Risk Management SARS-CoV-2 Work Environment
• Series:
  Mining Publications
• ISSN:
  1932-6203
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  California ; Georgia ; OSHA Region 10 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 9 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  SMRD - Spokane Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  11
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20063998
• Citation:
  PLoS One 2021 Nov; 16(11):e0253108
• Contact Point Address:
  Carol Y. Rao, COVID-19 Response Team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
• Email:
  CRao@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  PLoS One
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e5ab2e5bb0e6adfe6a6a66c6b39470fa12aba73aad63961258e0f362fe2f74eeb9df7cf75a0e66c0600a3dae0f6de5cf89b37679c38745a1d90613f46ea0bdae
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/215477/cdc_215477_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 403.01 KB ]