Protect Worker Health Research Articles

Navigating the shifting sands of filtering facepiece respirator provision during the COVID-19 pandemic: a system response for maximising staff safety

IntroductionPersonal protective equipment is essential to protect health workers and patients and to ensure confidence when dealing with aerosolised disease transmission. We describe the process for ensuring adequate filtering facepiece...

Epigenetic Markers Are Associated With Differences in Isocyanate Biomarker Levels in Exposed Spray-Painters.

Isocyanates are respiratory and skin sensitizers that are one of the main causes of occupational asthma globally. Genetic and epigenetic markers are associated with isocyanate-induced asthma and, before asthma develops, we have shown that genetic polymorphisms are associated with variation in plasma and urine biomarker levels in exposed workers. Inter-individual epigenetic variance may also have a significant role in the observed biomarker variability following isocyanate exposure. Therefore, we determined the percent methylation for CpG islands from DNA extracted from mononuclear blood cells of 24 male spray-painters exposed to 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) monomer and HDI isocyanurate. Spray-painters’ personal inhalation and skin exposure to these compounds and the respective biomarker levels of 1,6-diaminohexane (HDA) and trisaminohexyl isocyanurate (TAHI) in their plasma and urine were measured during three repeated industrial hygiene monitoring visits. We controlled for inhalation exposure, skin exposure, age, smoking status, and ethnicity as covariates and performed an epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) using likelihood-ratio statistical modeling. We identified 38 CpG markers associated with differences in isocyanate biomarker levels (Bonferroni < 0.05). Annotations for these markers included 18 genes: ALG1, ANKRD11, C16orf89, CHD7, COL27A, FUZ, FZD9, HMGN1, KRT6A, LEPR, MAPK10, MED25, NOSIP, PKD1, SNX19, UNC13A, UROS, and ZFHX3. We explored the functions of the genes that have been published in the literature and used GeneMANIA to investigate gene ontologies and predicted protein-interaction networks. The protein functions of the predicted networks include keratinocyte migration, cell–cell adhesions, calcium transport, neurotransmitter release, nitric oxide production, and apoptosis regulation. Many of the protein pathway functions overlap with previous findings on genetic markers associated with variability both in isocyanate biomarker levels and asthma susceptibility, which suggests there are overlapping protein pathways that contribute to both isocyanate toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. These predicted protein networks can inform future research on the mechanism of allergic airway sensitization by isocyanates and aid in the development of mitigation strategies to better protect worker health.

Cost of vaccine delivery strategies in low- and middle-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted immunization services critical to the prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases in many low- and middle- income countries around the world. These services will need to be modified in order to minimize COVID-19 transmission and ensure the safety of health workers and the community. Additional budget will be required to implement these modifications that ensure safe delivery. MethodsUsing a simple modeling analysis, we estimated the additional resource requirements associated with modifications to supplementary immunization activities (campaigns) and routine immunization services via fixed sites and outreach in 2020 US dollars. We considered the following four categories of costs: (1) personal protective equipment (PPE) & infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for immunization sessions; (2) physical distancing and screening during immunization sessions; (3) delivery strategy changes, such as changes in session sizes and frequency; and (4) other operational cost increases, including additional social mobilization, training, and hazard pay to compensate health workers. ResultsWe found that implementing a range of measures to protect health workers and communities from COVID-19 transmission could result in a per-facility start-up cost of $466–799 for routine fixed-site delivery and $12–220 for routine outreach delivery, and $12–108 per immunization campaign site. A recurrent monthly cost of $137–1,024 for fixed-site delivery and $152–848 for outreach delivery per facility could be incurred, and a $0.32–0.85 increase in the cost per dose during campaigns. ConclusionsBy illustrating potential cost implications of providing immunization services through a range of strategies in a safe manner, these estimates can provide a benchmark for program managers and policy makers on the additional budget required. These findings can help country practitioners and global development partners planning the continuation of immunization services in the context of COVID-19.

REDECA: A Novel Framework to Review Artificial Intelligence and Its Applications in Occupational Safety and Health.

Introduction: The field of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding, with many applications seen routinely in health care, industry, and education, and increasingly in workplaces. Although there is growing evidence of applications of AI in workplaces across all industries to simplify and/or automate tasks there is a limited understanding of the role that AI contributes in addressing occupational safety and health (OSH) concerns. Methods: This paper introduces a new framework called Risk Evolution, Detection, Evaluation, and Control of Accidents (REDECA) that highlights the role that AI plays in the anticipation and control of exposure risks in a worker’s immediate environment. Two hundred and sixty AI papers across five sectors (oil and gas, mining, transportation, construction, and agriculture) were reviewed using the REDECA framework to highlight current applications and gaps in OSH and AI fields. Results: The REDECA framework highlighted the unique attributes and research focus of each of the five industrial sectors. The majority of evidence of AI in OSH research within the oil/gas and transportation sectors focused on the development of sensors to detect hazardous situations. In construction the focus was on the use of sensors to detect incidents. The research in the agriculture sector focused on sensors and actuators that removed workers from hazardous conditions. Application of the REDECA framework highlighted AI/OSH strengths and opportunities in various industries and potential areas for collaboration. Conclusions: As AI applications across industries continue to increase, further exploration of the benefits and challenges of AI applications in OSH is needed to optimally protect worker health, safety and well-being.

Dispersion of Natural Airborne TiO2 Fibres in Excavation Activity as a Potential Environmental and Human Health Risk.

Titanium is the ninth most abundant element, approximately 0.7% of the Earth crust. It is used worldwide in large quantities for various applications. The IARC includes TiO2 in Group 2B as possibly carcinogenic to humans suggesting that pathological effects correlate to particle size and shape. This study case quantifies the release of natural TiO2 particles during mining activity, involving meta-basalt and shale lithologies in the Ligurian Alps, during excavation of the Terzo Valico as part of the Trans-European Transport Network. Type, width, length, aspect ratio, and concentration of TiO2 particles in needle habit were determined. The different samplings have reported that airborne concentrations in meta-basalt were 4.21 ff/L and 23.94 ff/L in shale. In both cases, the concentration never exceeds the limits established by various organizations for workers health protection. Nevertheless, TiO2 elongated particles, recognized as rutile, showed the dimensional characteristic of fibres, as reported by WHO. These fibres deserve particular attention because they can reach the alveolar space and trigger inflammation and chronic diseases. The results indicate that monitoring the TiO2 in both working environments and Ti-rich geological formations, associated with epidemiological studies, may represent a useful tool to determine the exposure risk of workers and the general population.

JURIDICAL REVIEW OF HEALTH PERSONEL PROTECTION AS A LEADING GUARD IN EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE THE HANDLING OF COVID-19: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Health workers who are handling patient of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2) or better known as the Coronavirus are legal subjects who carry out their obligations properly at their leader command, ruled accordance with the legal corridors, obtained the law right and protected from positive legal norms. This narrative research aims juridical review for protection the health workers during coronavirus pandemic. Using literature that obtained by looking materials and sources that match the theme and related them. Protection of health workers as the frontline in efforts to accelerate the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Civil Servants who served during the Covid-19 pandemic will get a promotion one level higher. The incentive budget for medical personnel comes from a budget reallocation that has been set by Mr. President Joko Widodo for 16.63 trillion in 2020. This award is in the form of compensation and for health workers who fail, the government awards “Bintang Jasa Pratama” and “Bintang Jasa Nararya”. The government provides protection by issuing various policies to protect health workers as the frontline in efforts to accelerate the handling of coronavirus disease 2019.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Health workers, legal protection, Covid-19.

Validation of the Workplace Integrated Safety and Health (WISH) assessment in a sample of nursing homes using Item Response Theory (IRT) methods

ObjectivesTo validate and test the dimensionality of six constructs from the Workplace Integrated Safety and Health (WISH) assessment, an instrument that assesses the extent to which organisations implement integrated systems...

Developing a Pandemic Management and Response Framework for a Media Organization: A Case Study

Background Beyond causing severe health outcomes and mortality, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted global business operations. The media industry faces unique challenges to infection prevention, including frequent travel, in-person interviews, and coverage of large events. However, industry-specific guidance for effective pandemic response was scarce at pandemic onset. This case study describes the development of a comprehensive pandemic management and response framework for an international digital media and broadcasting organization. Methods Our team worked in tandem with the media organization to conduct risk assessments of business operations affected by COVID-19. Based on governmental guidance, scientific evidence, and industry best practice, we developed a comprehensive framework to address industry-specific challenges and mitigate COVID-19 risk for workers and surrounding communities. Results Based on organization-specific considerations and risks, plans were created describing how to resume normal operations. We established a hazard matrix for essential operations based on field assignment characteristics and community transmission. Best practices were developed for unique industry challenges, including personal protective equipment utilization, cleaning and handling equipment, transportation, and interview subject selection. The framework incorporated stages of risk and response with flexibility to adjust protections based on triggers. Adhering to this framework, the organization was able to continue assignments with minimal disruption while minimizing COVID-19 transmission risk among employees and communities where they were deployed. Conclusions A comprehensive pandemic response plan is critical to minimize disruption of essential industries, to protect worker health and safety, and reduce the risk of occupational outbreaks contributing to community transmission. Incorporating a hazard matrix and industry-specific best practices allows organizations to appropriately assess and respond to transmission risk throughout various business operations and stages of the pandemic. Organizations across industries can apply a similar framework tailored to their unique operations to promote business continuity while protecting workers and communities. Beyond causing severe health outcomes and mortality, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted global business operations. The media industry faces unique challenges to infection prevention, including frequent travel, in-person interviews, and coverage of large events. However, industry-specific guidance for effective pandemic response was scarce at pandemic onset. This case study describes the development of a comprehensive pandemic management and response framework for an international digital media and broadcasting organization. Our team worked in tandem with the media organization to conduct risk assessments of business operations affected by COVID-19. Based on governmental guidance, scientific evidence, and industry best practice, we developed a comprehensive framework to address industry-specific challenges and mitigate COVID-19 risk for workers and surrounding communities. Based on organization-specific considerations and risks, plans were created describing how to resume normal operations. We established a hazard matrix for essential operations based on field assignment characteristics and community transmission. Best practices were developed for unique industry challenges, including personal protective equipment utilization, cleaning and handling equipment, transportation, and interview subject selection. The framework incorporated stages of risk and response with flexibility to adjust protections based on triggers. Adhering to this framework, the organization was able to continue assignments with minimal disruption while minimizing COVID-19 transmission risk among employees and communities where they were deployed. A comprehensive pandemic response plan is critical to minimize disruption of essential industries, to protect worker health and safety, and reduce the risk of occupational outbreaks contributing to community transmission. Incorporating a hazard matrix and industry-specific best practices allows organizations to appropriately assess and respond to transmission risk throughout various business operations and stages of the pandemic. Organizations across industries can apply a similar framework tailored to their unique operations to promote business continuity while protecting workers and communities.

Derivation of an occupational exposure limit for β-glucans

β-Glucans are abundant bacterial, yeast, and fungal cell wall polysaccharides that have been shown to activate the immune system. Establishment of an occupational exposure limit (OEL) for β-glucan exposure is critical to the protection of worker health, as these exposures have been linked to immunosuppressive and inflammatory reactions and possibly the development of respiratory diseases. Detectable concentrations of β-glucans have been identified in common occupational inhalation exposure scenarios, such as in the agricultural and waste management sectors. However, no published exposure benchmarks for inhalation of β-glucans are available for workers or the general population. Thus, a health-based OEL for inhalation exposure of workers to β-glucans was derived based on consideration of human and non-human effect data for this class of compounds and contemporary risk assessment methods. The weight of the evidence indicated that the available data in humans showed significant methodological limitations, such as lack of a representative study size, appropriate control population, and clear dose-response relationship. Thus, an OEL of 150 ng/m3 was derived for β-glucans based on the most relevant nonclinical study. This OEL provides an input to the occupational risk assessment process, allows for comparisons to worker exposure, and can guide risk management and exposure control decisions.

Knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures among health workers in regional referral hospitals in northern Uganda: a cross-sectional online survey

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) has increasingly been underscored as a key tool for limiting the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and safeguarding health workers from infections during their work. Knowledge and compliance with IPC measures is therefore essential in protecting health workers. However, this has not been established among health workers in northern Uganda in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures among health workers in regional referral hospitals in northern Uganda. Methods: An online cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among health workers in regional referral hospitals within northern Uganda. A structured questionnaire was distributed to health workers via WhatsApp messenger. Sufficient knowledge was considered at a correct response score of ≥80%, while adequate compliance was rated ≥75% of the maximum score. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21. Results: Of the 213 health workers approached, 75 (35%) participated in the study. The majority were males, 39(52%) and the mean age was 36.92 years. Of the 75 participants, 52(69%) had sufficient knowledge of Covid-19 IPC while 51(68%) had adequate compliance with Covid-19 IPC. Adequate compliance was significantly associated with training in Covid-19 IPC (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, (1.04-7.88); p=0.039), access to Covid-19 IPC materials at workstations (OR, 2.90; 95% CI, (1.06 - 8.09); p=0.036), and having strong institutional support (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, (1.08 – 8.74); p=0.031). However, there was no significant relationship between knowledge and compliance with IPC (p=0.07). The socio-demographic characteristics of health workershad no statistically significant relationship with Covid-19 IPC knowledge or compliance. Conclusion: Our results show fairly good knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 IPC among health workers in northern Uganda. There is need for more training and provision of guidelines to promote compliance with Covid-19 IPC.

SARS-CoV-2 Serological testing in frontline health workers in Zimbabwe.

BackgroundIn order to protect health workers from SARS-CoV-2, there is need to characterise the different types of patient facing health workers. Our first aim was to determine both the infection status and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in health workers. Our second aim was to evaluate the occupational and demographic predictors of seropositivity to inform the country’s infection prevention and control (IPC) strategy.Methods and principal findingsWe invited 713 staff members at 24 out of 35 health facilities in the City of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Compliance to testing was defined as the willingness to uptake COVID-19 testing by answering a questionnaire and providing samples for both antibody testing and PCR testing. SARS-COV-2 antibodies were detected using a rapid diagnostic test kit and SAR-COV-2 infection was determined by real-time (RT)-PCR. Of the 713 participants, 635(89%) consented to answering the questionnaire and providing blood sample for antibody testing while 560 (78.5%) agreed to provide nasopharyngeal swabs for the PCR SARS-CoV-2 testing. Of the 635 people (aged 18–73) providing a blood sample 39.1% reported a history of past COVID-19 symptoms while 14.2% reported having current symptoms of COVID-19. The most-prevalent co-morbidity among this group was hypertension (22.0%) followed by asthma (7.0%) and diabetes (6.0%). The SARS-CoV-2 sero-prevalence was 8.9%. Of the 560 participants tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, 2 participants (0.36%) were positive for SAR-CoV-2 infection by PCR testing. None of the SARS-CoV-2 antibody positive people were positive for SAR-CoV-2 infection by PCR testing.Conclusion and interpretationIn addition to clinical staff, several patient-facing health workers were characterised within Zimbabwe’s health system and the seroprevalence data indicated that previous exposure to SAR-CoV-2 had occurred across the full spectrum of patient-facing staff with nurses and nurse aides having the highest seroprevalence. Our results highlight the need for including the various health workers in IPC strategies in health centres to ensure effective biosecurity and biosafety.

Injury risks in civil construction

The article discusses an overview of the causes of injuries in construction. Also, the statistics of industrial accidents have occurred. The actual problems of ensuring labor safety and health protection of workers in the construction industry have been studied.

The activity of the Interdepartmental Commission for Maximum Admissible Concentrations and Intensitiesfor Agents Harmful to Health in the Working Environment in 2020 and the work plan in 2021 r.

In 2020 the Commission met at three sessions, during which 9 documentations for recommended exposure limits of chemical substances, were discussed. Moreover the Commission discussed on: the frequency of tests and measurements in relation to works in which the respirable fraction of crystalline silica is produced, changes in Annex 2 to the Regulation on MAC and MAI, point C.1: "Hot microclimate" and updating of Directive 2020/739/EC based on the PN-EN ISO 7243: 2018-01 standard. The Commission suggested to the minister responsible for labour issues the following changes in the list of MAC values: introduce 5 substances into the list of occupational exposure levels of chemical agents harmful to health (4-chloro-2-tolylamine and its hydrochloride, basic red 9, furan, nitrilotriacetic acid and its salts, N-methylformamide), changes in the current values for 3 chemical substances and adaptation of the Polish list of OEL (MAC) values to the directives: 2017/2398/EU [wood dust, chromium (VI) compounds] and the fourth draft directive amending Directive 2004/37/EC (acrylonitrile). The Commission also proposed changes to Annex 2 to the hot microclimate. The Interdepartmental Commission for MAC and MAI supported the request of the Group of Experts on Biological Agents to include the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the list constituting Annex 1 to the Regulation of the Minister of Health on harmful biological agents for health in the work environment and health protection of workers professionally exposed to these factors that implement into Polish law the Commission Directive (EU) 2020/739 of June 3, 2020. Four numbers of the "Principles and Methods of Assessing the Working Environment " were published in 2020. The booklets included: article on coronaviruses, 10 monographic documentation with justification of the proposed values and their maximum allowable concentrations (NDS, NDSCh), 9 methods for determining the concentration of harmful factors in the working environment, including the method of determining elemental carbon in exhaust gases emitted from diesel engines and report on the activities of the Interdepartmental Committee for MAC and MAI in 2017-2019. In 2021, 3 meetings of the Interdepartmental Commission for MAC and MAI are planned. During the meetings, the MAC/MAC-STEL values for about 10 chemicals will be discussed and work will be continued on the adaptation to national regulations the proposed binding values for chemicals with carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic effects prepared by the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC). ) These tasks are also in line with the activities of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.. This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.

Infection control and practice of standard precautions among hospital staff nurses in Indonesia

Background : Universal precaution as a strategy recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in efforts to prevent infection and disease transmission among health workers, through the hospital Infection prevention and control (IPC) committee seeks to protect health workers and patients of the risk of transmitting the infection . Purpose : To determine the factors associated with the application of universal precautions in the prevention of infectious disease transmission in nurses at Lamaddukelleng Hospital, Wajo district. Method : A descriptive quantitative using cross-sectional design. The population is nurses at Lamaddukelleng Hospital, especially nurses in the emergency ward, with a total sampling of 28 respondents. Results: The Chi-Square test finding factor of nurses had a trained with p-value = 0.001 which shows that the nurses had a trained has a significant relationship to the application of universal precautions by nurses, while the availability of Infection prevention and control equipment facilities is p-value = 0.557 and the monitoring factor is p-value = 0.274, showing no relationship to the application of universal precautions by nurses. Conclusion : Shows that 75% of respondents have applied universal precautions. Suggestions to hospital management to be paying attention to provide Infection prevention and control equipment facilities and provide regular training, especially related to Infection Prevention and Control.

PERLINDUNGAN HUKUM KESELAMATAN DAN KESEHATAN BAGI PEKERJA PADA ERA NEW NORMAL PANDEMI COVID-19

Workers are a valuable asset in the development of the nation's economy who are obliged to receive occupational safety and health protection. The implementation of occupational safety and health aims to provide protection for workers to be healthy, safe, productive, and avoid occupational accidents and occupational diseases. In a new normal state, the demands for health protection must be really emphasized and must comply with the standard health protocol for the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.The formulation of the problem is what is the role of the state and employers in the framework of protecting occupational health and safety during the new normal covid pandemic 19? What are the forms of occupational health and safety protection for workers in the new normal period? This research is a legal research that uses several approaches to be able to answer the problems under study, namely the statute approach, and the conceptual approach, and using the content analysis method.The role of the state in the framework of protecting occupational health and safety during the Covid-19 pandemic is due to public relations, which automatically creates legal consequences in the form of public rights and obligations between the state and citizens. The role of the employer in providing protection for workers arises because the employer and the worker are bound by a private legal relationship, one of whose rights and obligations are related to the protection of occupational safety and health. The forms of occupational health and safety protection for workers in the new normal period are aimed at protecting everyone who is in the workplace, so if the right to occupational health is not fulfilled, it will have legal consequences in both the civil, criminal and administrative realms.Keywords: occupational safety and health, legal protection, labor

Knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures among health workers in regional referral hospitals in northern Uganda: a cross-sectional online survey

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) has increasingly been underscored as a key tool for limiting the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and safeguarding health workers from infections during their work. Knowledge and compliance with IPC measures is therefore essential in protecting health workers. However, this has not been established among health workers in northern Uganda in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures among health workers in regional referral hospitals in northern Uganda. Methods: An online cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 75 health workers in regional referral hospitals within northern Uganda. A structured questionnaire was distributed to health workers via WhatsApp messenger. Sufficient knowledge was considered at a correct response score of ≥80%, while adequate compliance was rated ≥75% of the maximum score. Data were analyzed using SPSS v21. Results: The majority of the health workers had sufficient knowledge (69%) and adequate compliance (68%) with Covid-19 IPC. Adequate compliance was significantly associated with training in Covid-19 IPC (p=0.039), access to Covid-19 IPC at workstations (p=0.036), and having strong institutional support (p=0.031). However, there was no significant relationship between knowledge and compliance with IPC (p=0.07). The socio-demographic characteristics of health workers, including age, sex, education level, occupation, working hours and work experience, had no statistically significant relationship with Covid-19 IPC knowledge or compliance. Conclusion: Our results show fairly good knowledge and compliance with Covid-19 IPC among health workers in northern Uganda. There is need for more training and provision of guidelines to promote compliance with Covid-19 IPC.

Analysis of the self-conscious health status and influencing factors of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb

Objective: To explore the self-conscious health status and related influencing factors of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb, so as to provide scientific basis for developing strategies to improve and promote the occupational health conditions of those workers. Methods: According to the production characteristics and scale of the main agricultural districts or counties in the suburb of Beijing, 182 agricultural production personnel were randomly selected to investigate the general situation, occupational situation and self-conscious health status during June 2018 to December 2019. The relevant factors which may affect the self-conscious health conditions were also analyzed by statistical methods. Results: The detection or reported rate of self-conscious health problems was 51.6% (94/182) , among which 29.1% (53/182) workers reported musculoskeletal disorder diseases and 21.4% (39/182) workers reported nervous system diseases. And the self-conscious health status of greenhouse agricultural workers were statistically different in household registration, gender, marital status, working years, mixing or spraying pesticides, smoking or eating in the greenhouse (P<0.05) . Moreover, gender, mixing or spraying pesticide, eating and smoking behavior in the workplace all had an impact on the risk of self-conscious health status of greenhouse agricultural workers (P< 0.05) . Specifically, male is the protective factor to reduce the occurrence of self-conscious symptoms of greenhouse agricultural workers (OR=0.447, 95%CI: 0.234~0.852) , while mixing or spraying pesticides and smoking or eating behaviors in the workplace are the risk factors (OR=1.055, 2.524; 95%CI: 0.503~2.210, 1.107~5.755) . Conclusion: Reducing pesticide use from the source thus minimize related exposure opportunities, strengthening occupational health education thus foster good hygienic habits and improve individual protection consciousness are of great significance for the health protection of greenhouse agricultural workers in Beijing suburb.

Private sector initiatives to tackle the burden of COVID-19: experiences from the Nigerian frontline.

Across Africa, there is some evidence of COVID-19 private sector activities to tackle COVID-19 which include the development of rapid diagnostic kits, deployment of e-health platforms for bespoke health workforce training, disease surveillance, reporting, auto-screening and advisories. Inequities in living and access to care by disadvantaged populations in the rural areas have been ameliorated by multi-pronged responses such as that mounted by the Joseph Ukpo Hospitals and Research Institute (JUHRI) in Nigeria. The provision, production and donation of personal protective equipment (PPE), the production of hand sanitizers and the engagement of the local community in the process represents an effective strategy to contain COVID-19, protect health workers and provide pathways for economic support for people whose sources of income have been upended during the pandemic. The JUHRI experience underpinned by Catholic medical ethics provides concrete evidence of the value of private sector participation in dealing with public health emergencies.

The Effectiveness of Infection Control Practices among Health Care Workers Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nigeria

Background: The world is currently experiencing a healthcare crisis caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the forefront of controlling the spread of the disease; this response has resulted in a huge number of infections amongst HCWs and unfortunately some casualties. Infection prevention and control practices (IPC) are practical, proven methods that prevent avoidable harm to patients and protect health workers from contagious infection. This study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of IPC practices utilized in COVID-19 testing drive through facility in Lagos Nigeria. Method: The facility recruited 42 HCWs who were trained on IPC and use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). Training on donning and doffing of PPEs, preparation of decontaminants and sample handling were done for relevant personnel. A daily log for monitoring COVID-19 symptoms was deployed to all HCWs; to help early detection of COVID-19 infection and prevent transmission amongst staff. Results: Of 42 personnel, 92.8% had a tertiary level of education while 71.4% had at least 5 years work experience. A total of 5 (11.9%) out of 42 HCWs were positive by week six of the study. All infected persons worked at the drive through centre. Most common symptom filled in the daily log tool was headache and fatigue. Conclusion: Despite all the measures introduced, 11.9% of HCWs became positive within 6 weeks, showing the highly infectious nature of the virus and the need to research into more effective measures in preventing the transmission of highly infectious pathogens to HCWs during outbreaks.

Patent 95N Protocol: Consistent in the Use of N95 / PFF2 Mask by 100% of a Country's Herd during COVID-19 and Reduction in Mortality

N95 Mask. There is a scientific consensus that standard N95 / PFF2 filter masks prevent contamination by SARS-CoV-2. This type of mask is personal protective equipment (PPE), it does not have a contraindication, it can be used by any individual over 2 years of age, it is a product of free commercialization in any commercial establishment, that is, it is enough to appear at the place and buy. However, on March 3, 2020, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recommended that N95 masks be reserved to protect health workers during the pandemic first. These facts lead to the following question: if WHO and governments had recommended that all 7 billion inhabitants should wear N95 / PFF2 masks concurrently, would we save lives? why wait for a vaccine to have massive immunity? As of December 20, 2020, more than 1,704,065 deaths registered worldwide by COVID-19, because they did not wear an N95 / PFF2 mask. The preprint observational study by infectologist Machado, Leandro revealed that 100% of South Koreans had fair access and use of KF94 masks (N95 / PFF2), since March 2020, there was direct intervention by the President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, transforming the standard N95 mask as an official state product and for the public interest in saving lives. Therefore, the South Korean experience is proof that the use of standard N95 / PPF2 masks by 100% of the herd reduces the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and eradicates excess mortality, however, there is a need for proactive action by governments. In this sense, the patent for PROTOCOL 95N adult and children is a KIT composed of PFF2 masks sufficient for 63 days of use, at a cost of USD 0.13 for 24 hours of protection. The novelty is the use of the patent 7-color herd epidemiological technology, in the KIT there is a N95 / PFF2 mask for each day of the week, sunday white, monday green, tuesday orange, wednesday blue, thursday red, friday yellow and Saturday purple, and each color can be used 9 times and then discarded. This methodology, saves public resources, makes the pandemic sympathetic, it is ecological, avoiding waste, and above all, it creates the psychological effect of reliable self-protection as equipment validated by science that is indisputably qualified as effective against the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The KIT is supplied by the international alliance led by 95N CORPORATION, comprising a factory in the city of Santa-Fé-PR, Brazil and 74 Chinese and 3 South Korean industries, with a capacity of 80 million Kits per month, as detailed below.