[Cross-sectional study on the use of masks among occupational groups with high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission].

Objective: To investigate the wearing of masks and the knowledge of masks among high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission. Methods: From May 14 to 17, 2022, a convenient sampling method was used to conduct an online survey among 963 workers in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission in Beijing. The behaviors of individual use and wearing masks, the distribution and supervision of the unit, the knowledge of personal mask protection and the subjective feelings of wearing masks were analyzed. The χ(2) test and logistic regression model were used to analyze the influencing factors of the correct selection of masks. Results: The majority of the workers in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission were male (86.0%, 828/963), age concentration in 18-44 years old (68.2%, 657/963), and the majority of them had college or bachelor degrees (49.4%, 476/963). 79.4%(765/963) of the workers chose the right type of masks, female, 45-59 years old and high school education or above were the risk factors for correct selection of masks (P <0.05). Workers had good behaviors such as wearing/removing masks, but only 10.5% (101/963) could correctly rank the protective effect of different masks. 98.4% (948/963) of the workers believed that their work units had provided masks to their employees, and 99.1% (954/963) and 98.2%(946/963) of them had organized training and supervision on the use of masks, respectively. 47.4%(456/963) of the workers were uncomfortable while wearing masks. Conclusion: The overall selection and use of masks among occupational groups in high-risk positions for overseas import and pollution transmission in China need to be further standardized. It is necessary to strengthen supervision and inspection on the use of masks among occupational groups, and take improvement measures to improve the comfort of wearing masks.

Epidemiological Population Study of Sars-Cov-2 in Lake County, Illinois: Contact: Health-Related Quality of Life Assessment

Objectives: The prospective, longitudinal, community-based CONTACT study aimed to improve our understanding of COVID-19 immunity, and other characteristics related to SARS-CoV-2 long-term, including the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) at baseline and over time by infection status. Method(s): Participants living or working in Lake County, IL were recruited between November 2020 and January 2021. At baseline and follow up visits (3-, 6-, and 9-Months-M-), participants self-reported their occupational exposure, COVID-19 vaccination status and provided nasal and blood serum specimens for molecular (RT-PCR) and serologic (IgG) testing to detect current or previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. HRQoL questionnaires EQ-5D-5L were completed online approximately within two weeks post-testing (at 0.5, 3.5, 6.5, and 9.5 months) after results were communicated. EQ-5D-5L information was described and stratified by COVID-19 status at baseline, 3M, 6M and 9M - software: SAS-v9.4. Result(s): Data from 1008 participants were analyzed. Participants testing positive to COVID-19 were 56/952, 48/751, 40/693, and 19/654, respectively, at baseline, 3M, 6M, and 9M. Of the five domains of EQ-5D-5L, a higher percentage of participants who tested positive for COVID-19 reported having no anxiety or depression versus those who tested negative: at baseline (55.4% [31/56] vs 50.5% [481/952]);3M (68.8% [33/48] vs. 56.3% [423/751]);6M (67.5% [27/40] vs. 56.3% [390/693]);and 9M (73.7% [14/19] vs. 60.4% [395/654]). Median Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was at least 2 points higher at all time- points for participants who tested positive except at last visit (baseline: 89.0 vs. 87.0;3M: 88.0 vs. 86.0;6M: 87.5 vs. 85.0;9M: 85.0 vs. 87.0) Conclusion(s): This analysis provides insight into participant HRQoL burden at enrollment and over time when a positive test to COVID-19 was communicated. At all time-points, anxiety or depression was experienced by more participants who tested negative versus those who didn't.Copyright © 2023

The Other Side of the Balance Sheet: Work as a Fundamental Determinant of Health

The article discusses a study from Gaffney and colleagues, published within the issue which provides evidence for the fundamental role that workplace transmission played in differences in the risk of COVID-19 infection. Topics include the impact of occupational transmission of COVID-19;reasons for the denial on the role of work in the risk of disease, injury and death;and means by which work as a fundamental determinant of health can be targeted.

A narrative review on radiation risk from imaging for COVID-19: Breaking the myths and the mithya

Radiotherapy-induced secondary malignancy is a well-known occurrence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have undergone serial computed tomography (CT) imaging, and concerns have been raised regarding radiation-induced malignancies due to frequent scanning. Accordingly, various low and ultra-low-dose CT (LDCT) thorax protocols have been developed to reduce the dose of radiation. Major governing bodies worldwide have established guidelines regarding the indications for CT scans and chest X-rays during the pandemic. We, therefore, aimed to provide facts about the effects of radiation (both diagnostic and therapeutic). Through this article, we intend to break the myths and 'mithya' (misbeliefs) regarding diagnostic radiation and its association with cancer in this COVID-19 era. For this review, we performed a search in Google using specific keywords pertaining to imaging during COVID-19 and radiation risk. We also included the names of various global governing bodies in the Google search. We included only full text articles and guidelines from authentic websites. From this review, we conclude that if we follow the recommendations of various global governing bodies and use CT scan only in cases of moderate to severe COVID-related symptoms, adhere to the principle of 'as low as reasonably achievable' for radiation protection, and use LDCT scan protocols, we can significantly reduce the mean effective radiation dose delivered and the estimated cancer risk.Copyright © 2023 Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment. All rights reserved.

Immigrant Legal Status among Essential Frontline Workers in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic Era: IMR

Emerging evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has extracted a substantial toll on immigrant communities in the United States, due in part to increased potential risk of exposure for immigrants to COVID-19 in the workplace. In this article, we use federal guidance on which industries in the United States were designated essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, information about the ability to work remotely, and data from the 2019 American Community Survey to estimate the distribution of essential frontline workers by nativity and immigrant legal status. Central to our analysis is a proxy measure of working in the primary or secondary sector of the segmented labor market. Our results indicate that a larger proportion of foreign-born workers are essential frontline workers compared to native-born workers and that 70 percent of unauthorized immigrant workers are essential frontline workers. Disparities in essential frontline worker status are most pronounced for unauthorized immigrant workers and native-born workers in the secondary sector of the labor market. These results suggest that larger proportions of foreign-born workers, and especially unauthorized immigrant workers, face greater risk of potential exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace than native-born workers. Social determinants of health such as lack of access to health insurance and living in overcrowded housing indicate that unauthorized immigrant essential frontline workers may be more vulnerable to poor health outcomes related to COVID-19 than other groups of essential frontline workers. These findings help to provide a plausible explanation for why COVID-19 mortality rates for immigrants are higher than mortality rates for native-born residents.

Prevalence and related factors of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among medical staff during COVID-19 pandemic

[Background] The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) seriously affects the psychological status of medical staff who directly face the risk of the disease. [Objective] This study investigates the prevalence and related factors of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Methods] From February 13 to March 1, 2020, a network questionnaire survey was conducted among 482 medical staff selected by convenience sampling. A self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the basic demographic information and COVID-19-related questions. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among the medical staff. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was performed with PHQ-9 score, GAD-7 score, and ISI score as dependent variables. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (forward-conditional method) on depression, anxiety, and insomnia as dependent variables was performed with basic demographic information and COVID-19-related questions as independent variables. [Results] Among the surveyed medical staff, the prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and insomnia were 14.3%, 11.2%, and 23.2%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the prevalence rates among different age, gender, local risk level, and occupation groups and those aiding Hubei Province or not. The medical staff who directly contacted fever or diagnosed patients had more serious depression (b=1.73, 95%CI: 0.79-2.66) and insomnia (b=2.43, 95%CI: 1.48-3.39) and a higher risk of insomnia (OR=1.89, 95%CI: 1.21-2.96). The medical staff whose current protective measures cannot prevent infection had more serious depression (b=1.72, 95% CI: 0.65-2.80), anxiety (b=1.75, 95% CI: 0.76-2.75), and insomnia (b=1.73, 95% CI: 0.63-2.82), and had a higher risk of depression (OR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.11-3.49), anxiety (OR=3.00, 95%CI: 1.64-5.46), and insomnia (OR=1.79, 95%CI: 1.08-2.96). [Conclusion] During the COVID-19 epidemic, the risks of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among selected medical staff are increased compared with the non-epidemic period. Occupational exposure to high-risk groups and protective measures would significantly affect mental health of medical staff.Copyright © 2021, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. All rights reserved.

Health risks of pest control and disinfection workers after the COVID-19 outbreak in South Korea

The exposure patterns of pest control and disinfection workers have changed after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, but the health risks of chemical exposure have not been assessed. We identified these workers' chemical exposure patterns and risks before and after the COVID-19 outbreak. We used data conducted between 2018 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (post-pandemic) from three-year cross-sectional surveys on pest control and disinfection workers. Inhalation and dermal exposure concentrations were estimated using equations based on a biocidal product risk assessment model from the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of chemicals were calculated using the United States Environmental Protection Agency risk assessment model. We found that the annual work frequency (50th percentile) of foggers using disinfectants increased the most among all the work types, from 140 uses/year to 176 uses/year after the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, all chemicals' non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks increased regardless of exposure routes. In the worst scenario (95th percentile), the margin of exposure for citric acid, benzethonium chloride, benzyl-C12-16-alkyldimethyl chlorides, and sodium chlorite of inhalation exposure, and isopropyl alcohol and benzyl-C12-16-alkyldimethyl chlorides of dermal exposure were acceptable (>100) before the COVID-19 outbreak but became unacceptable (<100) after the COVID-19 outbreak. Carcinogenic risks of dichlorvos from inhalation and dermal exposure were above acceptable levels (>10−6) before and after the COVID-19 outbreak but comparatively high after the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, significantly more workers experienced health symptoms after the COVID-19 outbreak (p<0.05), with the most common being muscle lethargy (31%), skin/face stinging (28.7%), and breath shortness/neck pain (24.1%).

Biological accidents among healthcare professionals during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: 2019 to 2021

Objective: to describe the tendency of biological exposures among healthcare professionals during the years 2019-2021. Method: a retrospective descriptive epidemiological study with 400 biological accidents among the staff of the Clínico-Malvarrosa Health Department (Valencia) from 2019 to 2021. The information was collected by the Occupational Risk Prevention Service through the REBA and EOLAS databases. The type of variables collected were: type of accident, setting where it occurred, characteristics of the worker involved, safety measures applied, and serological parameters of source and worker. Results: the distribution of accidents per year was n= 132 in 2019 (33%), n= 121 in 2020 (30.25%) and n= 147 in 2021 (36.75%). The professionals who experienced more accidents in all years were nurses, specifically those with <5 years of experience, 25-to-34-year old, and under temporary contract. The services that reported more accidents were Primary Care and Surgery in all these years, particularly the morning shifts. Over 20% of the staff were not wearing gloves at the time of the accident in any of these three years. There was an increase in the use of face masks from 24% in 2019 to 100% in 2021, as well as an increase in facial protection measures from 0% to 7%. Of these accidents, 96% could be recorded without seroconversion cases among workers exposed in any of these years. Conclusions: apparently, the COVID-19 pandemic has not altered the tendency towards accidental biological exposures among healthcare workers. The most significant fluctuations could be due to the reduction in surgical activity during 2020. © 2023 DAE Editorial, Grupo Paradigma. All rights reserved.

Which Jobs are Unlucky against the Biologic and the Economic Risks Caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic?

Context: Beyond the biological impact of the pandemic in working life, socioeconomic consequences is also important for workers. This study aimed to investigate both biologic and economic impacts of the pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a structured questionnaire were applied by telephone to 233 workers who were diagnosed with coronavirus disease-2019 (Covid-19) at hospital. A pretest was applied before the data collection. The outcomes of the study were work-related Covid-19 transmission (WRCT) and pandemic-related economic worsening (PREW). Descriptive statistics is presented. Chi-square test is used in comparison of proportions. Results: Of the 233 workers, 52% were male (n = 120) and the mean age was 37.7 (±9.2) years. WRCT was observed in 73% of health care workers. PREW was 6.7 times higher in private sector (95% confidence interval = 3.1-14.5), especially in self-employed and small business owners. Drivers and sales workers were the unluckiest. Because they were affected in terms of both the WRCT and PREW. Conclusions: Within the framework of occupational health, the economic destructive effects of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the biological impacts should be considered with a holistic perspective. Protective policies should be developed especially for economically fragile groups against the pandemic such as self-employed, small business owners, and private sector workers.

Excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among in-person nonhealthcare workers in six states, September 2020-June 2021.

BACKGROUND: While the occupational risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection for healthcare personnel in the United States has been relatively well characterized, less information is available on the occupational risk for workers employed in other settings. Even fewer studies have attempted to compare risks across occupations and industries. Using differential proportionate distribution as an approximation, we evaluated excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among non-healthcare workers in six states. METHODS: We analyzed data on occupation and industry of employment from a six-state callback survey of adult non-healthcare workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and population-based reference data on employment patterns, adjusted for the effect of telework, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We estimated the differential proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry using the proportionate morbidity ratio (PMR). RESULTS: Among a sample of 1111 workers with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, significantly higher-than-expected proportions of workers were employed in service occupations (PMR 1.3, 99% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-1.5) and in the transportation and utilities (PMR 1.4, 99% CI 1.1-1.8) and leisure and hospitality industries (PMR 1.5, 99% CI 1.2-1.9). CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence of significant differences in the proportionate distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation and industry among respondents in a multistate, population-based survey, highlighting the excess risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection borne by some worker populations, particularly those whose jobs require frequent or prolonged close contact with other people.

Bearing a higher burden: Black and Latinx community perspectives on the Impact of COVID-19

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: During earlier periods of the pandemic, Black and Latinx populations in Michigan have suffered higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and deaths when compared to Whites. We conducted this study to understand how Black and Latinx residents perceived this disproportionate burden. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: In 2021, 40 semi-structured interviews were conducted virtually in English or Spanish with Black (n=24) and Latinx (n=16) residents in Michigan areas highly impacted by COVID-19: Genesee, Kent, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. Using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, we partnered with leaders from 15 community-based organizations and health and human service agencies to develop research questions, an interview protocol, and to interpret the data. We used the data analysis software Dedoose (ver 4.12) for inductive coding (IRR=0.81). This study is a part of the NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 initiative. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Participants described the significant impact of the pandemic in terms of physical and mental health, job security, and the sheer number of deaths among loved ones. They attributed the impact to comorbidities and social determinants of health disparities exacerbated by the pandemic, including income, housing, access to healthcare, as well as systemic racism. They noted being overrepresented among frontline workers with higher exposure to COVID-19, limited or misinformation about the virus, language barriers, and difficulty with social distancing. Cultural norms that promote being in close proximity, such as intergenerational households, and loss of trusted community leaders were also noted. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Findings reflect the needs of Black and Latinx community members in Michigan and the discussions they feel are important to highlight. We must work strategically with partners and the community to provide transparency and effective leadership, and prioritize addressing systemic disparities in SDoH.

Airborne prokaryotes and toxins

Increasing evidence of possible airborne transmission of many microorganisms causing important human diseases such as the causal agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic has led to renewed interest in the field of aeromicrobiology. In this chapter, we examine the diversity of prokaryotes and toxins found in the atmosphere and their public health importance. This chapter among other important information focuses on occupational exposure to airborne prokaryotes and their toxins, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes as emerging airborne pollutants of global public health concern and airborne prokaryotes and toxins in bioterrorism. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attributable Fraction of Cancer Related to Occupational Exposure in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to occupational carcinogens is an important and avoidable cause of cancer. We aimed to provide an evidence-based estimate of the burden of occupation-related cancers in Italy. METHODS: The attributable fraction (AF) was calculated based on the counterfactual scenario of no occupational exposure to carcinogens. We included exposures classified as IARC group 1 and with reliable evidence of exposure in Italy. Relative risk estimates for selected cancers and prevalences of exposure were derived from large-scale studies. Except for mesothelioma, a 15-20-year latency period between exposure and cancer was considered. The data on cancer incidence in 2020 and mortality in 2017 in Italy were obtained from the Italian Association of Cancer Registries. RESULTS: The most prevalent exposures were UV radiation (5.8%), diesel exhaust (4.3%), wood dust (2.3%) and silica dust (2.1%). Mesothelioma had the largest AF to occupational carcinogens (86.6%), followed by sinonasal cancer (11.8%) and lung cancer (3.8%). We estimated that 0.9% of cancer cases (N~3500) and 1.6% of cancer deaths (N~2800) were attributable to occupational carcinogens in Italy. Of these, about 60% were attributable to asbestos, 17.5% to diesel exhaust, followed by chromium and silica dust (7% and 5%). CONCLUSIONS: Our estimates provide up-to-date quantification of the low, but persistent, burden of occupational cancers in Italy.

How Has COVID-19 Affected Orthopedic Surgeons and Residents in Chile? TT -?Como ha afectado el COVID-19 a traumatologos y residentes de traumatologia en Chile?.

Background Since March 2020, Chile has been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has caused disruptions throughout the world, greatly impacting health services and healthcare workers. Objective To describe the demographic characteristics related to the COVID-19 pandemic in orthopedic surgeons and orthopedic surgery residents in Chile. Methods We conducted an on-line survey requesting data on demographics, work, exposure to and infection by COVID-19, symptoms, and protection practices. Results A total of 567 surgeons answered the survey;37 (6.4%) had had COVID-19, without gender differences. Therewas a higher rate of infectionamong residents, 9 from73 (12.3%), than among surgeons, 28 from 494 (5.7%), as well as higher rates of infection among those working more than 60 hours (p<0.05). Among those infected, 31 (83.8%) were from the Metropolitan Region (MR), where the rate of infection was significantly higher compared with other regions (p< 0.05). Only 8 (21.6%) of those infected had medical history. Hospitalization was required by 3 (5.4%), 1 of them in the Intensive care Unit (ICU), and the remaining were handled at home. The most frequent location of infection was the workplace, with the common areas being the main suspected sites, followed by outpatient clinics and orthopedic surgery wards. In total, 40.5% (15) of the sample reported having infected other individuals. There was also an impact in the surgeon s income: 14.8% (84) reported a decrease lower than 20%, and 45% (256), a decrease higher than 50%. This decrease was higher among surgeons than among residents, and higher among those from the MR compared to other regions (p< 0.05). Conclusion Even though orthopedic surgery practice has been reduced by the pandemic, orthopedic surgeons have been exposed to the risk of infection by COVID-19. The workplace seems to be the site that poses the greatest risk, especially the common areas.Copyright © 2022 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved.

Midwives' experiences using personal protective equipment during COVID-19: a scoping review

Background: Correct use of personal protective equipment is vital to minimise the risk of patients acquiring healthcare-associated infections. These measures are also important in preventing exposure to occupational infection. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of personal protective equipment was associated with anxiety, uncertainty and additional training requirements. This study investigated midwives' experiences using personal protective equipment during the pandemic. Methods: This systematic scoping review searched seven academic databases and grey literature. Data analysis was conducted using a thematic analysis framework. Results: A total of 16 studies were included. Four themes were found: 'fear and anxiety', 'personal protective equipment/resources', 'education and training needs' and 'communication'. Conclusions: Management and administration inconsistences, logistical issues and lack of training on personal protective equipment led to midwives' negative feedback. A gap has been identified in the exploration of midwives' experiences as personal protective equipment end-users during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes to infection prevention and control measures used by Canadian paramedics in response to COVID-19

IntroductionCanadian Paramedic services modified infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices in response to COVID-19. These changes may affect risk of exposure to infectious disease agents and can be used to inform future IPAC practices. We characterized COVID-19-related IPAC changes in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.Materials & MethodsQuestionnaire data (January 2021-Feb 2022) from the national COVID-19 Occupational Risks, Seroprevalence and Immunity among Paramedics (CORSIP) project was used to identify which IPAC practices were in place prior to COVID-19, and which were modified in response to COVID-19, including the timing of changes (March-May 2020;June-Aug 2020;Sept-Nov 2020;Nov 2020-present).Results2939 participants were included (146, 1249, 139, 1317, 88 from Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, respectively), of whom 2674 (91%) reported receiving IPAC training. IPAC measures that were common prior to COVID-19 included: personal protective equipment (PPE) training, patient screening, hand hygiene, N95/P100 respirators, gowns, impermeable suits, and cleaning/disinfection. COVID-related IPAC changes included: screening staff, social distancing, restricting aerosol generating procedures, masking patients, cloth face coverings, surgical masks, face shields, and elastomeric respirators. Changes were reported for all IPAC measures. Most (71%) of these changes were made early in the COVID-19 pandemic (March-May 2020). Differences in proportions across provinces, community practice settings, and professional regulation status were reported (p < .05) for hand hygiene, PPE training, screening of patients, face shields, and various respirator types.ConclusionCanadian paramedic services were quick to modify available IPAC measures. However, these changes were variable across provinces, regulation status, and setting for specific IPAC measures. Inconsistent IPAC measures across jurisdictions may contribute to variable risk of infectious disease exposure. An evidence-informed and nationally coordinated approach may provide more equitable exposure risk mitigation for paramedic workers.

The impact of occupational exposure on the infections rates with Sars-Cov-2 in the Netherlands

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate the role of occupational exposure in the risk to be infected with Sars-Cov-2, and whether this differ across waves, while correcting for non-work related factors.MethodsData from 207 034 workers from the Netherlands with test data on Sars-Cov-2 from June 2020 until August 2021 were available. Personal characteristics and living conditions were derived from Statistics Netherlands. Occupational exposure was estimated by using the COVID-19 JEM. A test-negative design was applied in which the risk for a positive test was analyzed in a conditional logit model for the entire study period and three separate waves.ResultsNine percent of tests were positive during the entire study period, and being exposed at work was related to a higher risk for a positive test. The multiple regression models showed that contaminated work spaces, (lack of) face covering and income insecurity are the most important risk factors for a positive test result. Differences were found across waves. Some occupations were at higher risk to be infected at the worksite than others, and this differed across waves.ConclusionsEven after correcting for non-work related factors, exposure to Sars-Cov-2 at work is still related with higher risk for a positive test. The type of jobs differed across the waves and depends largely on the measures taken by the government.

Administrative concerns in healthcare during COVID 19 pandemic in cement industry in India

IntroductionPurpose of this research is to describe the general administrative concerns and specific financial concerns in Occupational Health Centre in Cement manufacturing Industry in India during COVID19 and to compare the Administrative concerns in Healthcare in cement Industry.MethodsA descriptive qualitative study with ethnography approach to understand and determine administrative concerns faced by healthcare professionals in cement Industry was conducted using a motivational interview technique by Miller and Rollnick.ResultsIt was observed that financial concerns of purchase of new equipment, liaison and budget approval for health activities from senior management, promotions or designation were at par with other technical counterparts of the industry, minimizing the difference and managing the hospital budget and Non-financial concerns of staffing and manpower, Infrastructure development, Health surveillance and awareness, School health and CSR, Motivation of paramedical staff regarding promotion, Security on social and personal perspective, Optimum usage of available resources, Fitness of employees' vs sickness absenteeism – all had increased during the COVID19 pandemic.ConclusionsEmployee expectations were very high with demand for privileged services. Appropriate usage of services for smooth administration and prevention of wastage, strict waste control measures, 100% legal compliance, liaison with external hospitals including local government for appropriate help to be provided for the management within the legal boundaries, proactive health awareness programs on a time-weighted scale with result oriented mindset for the benefit of employees. Similar health awareness programs for dependents and society with assessment of exposure risk under CSR can be achieved by collecting the required data, analysing employee's health status outcomes, setting of goals, awareness of roles and responsibilities, rewards and recognition, proactive approach towards Preventive medicine, collaboration with other organizations or higher centres, setting of clear guidelines, working with HRD, Focus on Telehealth and Virtual Healthcare training.

Severity of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia according to occupational exposure to asbestos

Introduction: Inflammation is a mechanism implicated in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Lung retention of asbestos fibers is thought to promote chronic low-grade inflammation potentially leading to asbestosrelated diseases in exposed subjects. Our hypothesis is that occupational exposure to asbestos may be related to the severity of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Method(s): Prospective observational study of patients discharged after a SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (March 1st - August 8th 2020) and recruited at our postcovid outpatient clinic. Severity was defined as the need for respiratory support (oxygen therapy, HFNC, CPAP, NIMV or IMV). All patients completed a validated asbestos exposure questionnaire (QEAS-7) and were classified as exposed and non-exposed. Result(s): 293 patients were included, 53.9% men, with a mean age of 58.4 +/- 12.8 years. Table 1 shows the patients' characteristics according to the severity of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Conclusion(s): Our data are consistent with previous studies showing greater severity of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in male, older age and higher BMI. Patients requiring oxygen therapy or respiratory support have a higher inflammatory profile, more complications during admission and more days of hospitalization. Occupational exposure to asbestos was related to greater severity of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.