Screening for COVID-19 among Workers Attending Medical Examinations Under Occupational Health Service of an Open Cast Iron Ore Mine in Jharkhand: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The world is going through an unprecedented phase of COVID-19. Safe and healthy workplace are integral part of Occupational Health. Unsafe work practices anywhere are a constant threat, both for our health and sustainable business of an organization. Screening involves testing asymptomatic individuals who do not have known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. There is no screening strategy to exclude anyone contagious entering workplace. Objective(s) Workplace-based testing for COVID-19 and thus help to prevent or reduce further transmission. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted through screening for COVID-19 by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) or RTPCR test (TrueNat) of 860 workers who appeared for initial and periodical medical examinations (IME / PME) under Occupational Health Service of a mine hospital in Jharkhand. Study period December 2020 to April 2021. Chi-Square test was used for statistical analysis. Result(s) Study revealed, mean age of employees 32.09+/-8.42 years. Total 28 (3%) workers were tested COVID-19 positive, mostly asymptomatic (64%). Among COVID positive cases, 16 (57%) were in age group of 21-30 years and 25 (89%) were male. Among the symptomatic cases (n=10), 50% presented with generalized weakness. 20% workers presented with fever, 20% with cough and 10% workers had sore throat. Generalized weakness was significantly associated (p< 0.05) with COVID positive cases (x2=8.944, p=0.003). Conclusion(s) Screening is important part of health check-up to maintain safety in workplace, especially in time of pandemic. Most of the affected persons were asymptomatic and would have been caused of more positive cases at workplace, community at large. Our study emphasized the need for implementation of population-based screening programs at shop floors to prevent spread of COVID-19 among the mining workers.