Biosafety and infectious disease occupational health training from the NIEHS Worker Training Program: A historical look at capacity building that supported a COVID-19 response.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that large segments of the workforce–many of which were not previously considered or valued–are needed to keep the economy moving and critical societal functions going. From first responders to bus drivers, this expanded essential workforce needed training to build a solid knowledge of infectious disease protection practices. However, most workplaces had no existing plan or training for infectious disease exposure control. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) was able to immediately respond with health and safety curricula, resources, and course delivery based on decades of building capacity for disaster and infectious disease response.