COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020
Abstract Introduction COVID-19 transmission was significant amongst Qatar’s working population during the March–July 2020 outbreak. The study aimed to estimate the risk of exposure for COVID-19 across various workplace settings and demographics in the State of Qatar. Methods A cross-sectional study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-021-00311-5 |
| _version_ | 1828746991665938432 |
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| author | Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari Asma Ali Al-Nuaimi Jazeel Abdulmajeed Sandy Semaan Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi Mujeeb Chettiyam Kandy Selvakumar Swamy |
| author_facet | Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari Asma Ali Al-Nuaimi Jazeel Abdulmajeed Sandy Semaan Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi Mujeeb Chettiyam Kandy Selvakumar Swamy |
| author_sort | Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Introduction COVID-19 transmission was significant amongst Qatar’s working population during the March–July 2020 outbreak. The study aimed to estimate the risk of exposure for COVID-19 across various workplace settings and demographics in the State of Qatar. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing surveillance data of all workplaces with 10 or more laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. These workplaces were categorized using a mapping table adapted from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, 2017 version. The data was then analyzed to estimate and compare the positivity rate as an indicator of the risk of developing COVID-19 infection across various workplace settings in the State of Qatar. Results The highest positivity rate was reported amongst the Construction & Related (40.0%) and the Retail & Wholesale Trade sectors (40.0%), whereas, the lowest positivity rate was attributed to the healthcare workplace setting (11.0%). The highest incidence of COVID-19 infections occurred in South Asian nationalities and in the male gender. The private funded sector employees have seen higher positivity rate than employees of the governmental funded sector. Conclusion The elevated risk of infection in Construction and Retail & Wholesale Trade is probably due to environmental and educational vulnerabilities. The predominant labor force of those workplace categories is South Asian craft and male manual workers. Alternatively, the better containment of the healthcare workplace setting can be attributed to the enforcement of infection control and occupational safety measures. These findings imply the importance of using preventive and surveillance strategies for high-risk workplace settings appropriately. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:35:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1ad4c2ff992942f39dcd8951a10ca6fe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:35:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1ad4c2ff992942f39dcd8951a10ca6fe2022-12-22T02:11:53ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732021-06-011611910.1186/s12995-021-00311-5COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari0Asma Ali Al-Nuaimi1Jazeel Abdulmajeed2Sandy Semaan3Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi4Mujeeb Chettiyam Kandy5Selvakumar Swamy6Primary Health Care CorporationPrimary Health Care CorporationPrimary Health Care CorporationPrimary Health Care CorporationMinistry of Public HealthPrimary Health Care CorporationPrimary Health Care CorporationAbstract Introduction COVID-19 transmission was significant amongst Qatar’s working population during the March–July 2020 outbreak. The study aimed to estimate the risk of exposure for COVID-19 across various workplace settings and demographics in the State of Qatar. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing surveillance data of all workplaces with 10 or more laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19. These workplaces were categorized using a mapping table adapted from the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, 2017 version. The data was then analyzed to estimate and compare the positivity rate as an indicator of the risk of developing COVID-19 infection across various workplace settings in the State of Qatar. Results The highest positivity rate was reported amongst the Construction & Related (40.0%) and the Retail & Wholesale Trade sectors (40.0%), whereas, the lowest positivity rate was attributed to the healthcare workplace setting (11.0%). The highest incidence of COVID-19 infections occurred in South Asian nationalities and in the male gender. The private funded sector employees have seen higher positivity rate than employees of the governmental funded sector. Conclusion The elevated risk of infection in Construction and Retail & Wholesale Trade is probably due to environmental and educational vulnerabilities. The predominant labor force of those workplace categories is South Asian craft and male manual workers. Alternatively, the better containment of the healthcare workplace setting can be attributed to the enforcement of infection control and occupational safety measures. These findings imply the importance of using preventive and surveillance strategies for high-risk workplace settings appropriately.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-021-00311-5COVID-19Occupational healthOccupational riskInfectious diseaseWorkers |
| spellingShingle | Mohamed Ghaith Al-Kuwari Asma Ali Al-Nuaimi Jazeel Abdulmajeed Sandy Semaan Hamad Eid Al-Romaihi Mujeeb Chettiyam Kandy Selvakumar Swamy COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology COVID-19 Occupational health Occupational risk Infectious disease Workers |
| title | COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 |
| title_full | COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 |
| title_short | COVID-19 infection across workplace settings in Qatar: a comparison of COVID-19 positivity rates of screened workers from March 1st until July 31st, 2020 |
| title_sort | covid 19 infection across workplace settings in qatar a comparison of covid 19 positivity rates of screened workers from march 1st until july 31st 2020 |
| topic | COVID-19 Occupational health Occupational risk Infectious disease Workers |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-021-00311-5 |
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