Occupational disease
Occupational Covid-19 disease
Apr
Over the years, Covid-19 has ravaged the world, causing millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths. The complex developments of this pandemic have forced us to face unprecedented challenges in history, from ensuring the safety of ourselves and our families to significant impacts on the economy and society. However, the presence of healthcare heroes, scientists, and advanced technologies has brought hope for our future.
1. What is occupational Covid-19?
Occupational Covid-19 is a disease that arises during work due to workers being exposed to the Sars-CoV-2 virus present in the workplace environment.
2. Occupations at risk of Covid-19
Workers at risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 include:
- Healthcare facility workers.
- Workers in laboratories handling samples, transporting, processing, storing, or destroying samples containing SARS-CoV-2.
- Workers involved in pandemic prevention, serving, and assisting those infected with SARS-CoV-2, including:
- Personnel working directly in centralized quarantine areas, home quarantine, or outbreak zones, providing home care for Covid-19 patients.
- Transporting and serving Covid-19 patients.
- Transporting, preserving, cremating, or burying the bodies of Covid-19 patients.
- Supervising, investigating, and verifying Covid-19 cases.
- Customs officers, diplomats, and immigration officers.
- Military officers, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers, civil defense workers, and defense staff.
- Police officers and personnel.
- Other workers assigned to participate in Covid-19 prevention activities.
3. Mechanism and causes of Covid-19
Sars-CoV-2 is transmitted directly from person to person through respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. It can also spread via aerosols in enclosed, crowded spaces with limited ventilation or in areas with aerosol-generating procedures such as healthcare facilities.
Covid-19 patients can spread the virus from 2 days before the onset of symptoms and are most contagious in the first 3 days after symptom onset. Virus shedding can last about 8 days but may be longer in immunocompromised patients. Asymptomatic patients can also spread the virus.
4. Symptoms and effects of occupational Covid-19
Incubation phase: 2-14 days, average 5-7 days, delta variant has a shorter incubation period.
- Alpha variant: fever, dry cough, fatigue, sore throat, headache; some cases may have nasal congestion, runny nose, loss of taste and smell, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, etc.
- Delta variant: headache, sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever, diarrhea, shortness of breath, muscle pain.
- Omicron variant: currently, there is no information suggesting different symptoms compared to other variants.
Full-blown phase: After 4-5 days.
- Respiratory: more cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, fear; deep breathing often normal; ~5-10% may have silent hypoxia.
- Circulatory:
- Non-specific symptoms: chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, cough.
- Cardiogenic shock: low blood pressure, fast pulse, arrhythmia, cold extremities, enlarged liver, prominent neck veins.
- Arrhythmias, acute heart failure, pulmonary embolism, pericardial effusion, acute myocardial infarction, secondary septic shock, acute cor pulmonale.
- Kidneys: reduced or excessive urine, proteinuria, hematuria, uremia in pre-existing kidney disease patients.
- Nervous system:
- Consciousness disturbances: mild to coma.
- Hemiplegia.
- Aphasia.
- Vision loss, hemianopia.
- Cranial nerve palsy.
- Sphincter disorders.
- Loss of smell.
- Encephalitis, meningitis, multi-root neuropathy like Guillain-Barre syndrome, Covid-19 brain disease.
- Gastrointestinal: reduced absorption, secretion imbalance, diarrhea.
- Liver: jaundice, liver failure, elevated liver enzymes, hepatic coma.
- Endocrine: diabetes, ketoacidosis, hyperosmolarity.
- Hematology:
- Coagulopathy, SIC, DIC, hemophagocytic syndrome.
- Vascular: thrombotic occlusion of arteries or veins.
- Skin: itching, burning, urticaria, erythema, vesicular eruptions, chilblain-like rash on fingers/toes, less commonly reticular lesions, polymorphic erythema on hands, feet, mucosa, conjunctivitis in children.
Recovery phase:
- Mild/moderate cases: fever resolves in 7-10 days, general health improves, lung lesions recover, possible prolonged fatigue.
- Severe cases: clinical symptoms last 2-3 weeks, fatigue may persist for months.
- Critical cases: may require prolonged ICU stay, risk of pulmonary fibrosis, psychological impact, prolonged muscle weakness.
- Post-infection complications: autoimmune disorders, hemophagocytic syndrome, etc.
5. Long-term consequences of Covid-19
- General: prolonged fatigue, joint/muscle pain, taste/smell disorders, hair loss, etc.
- Respiratory: pneumonia, interstitial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, fibrosis, alveolar dilation, atelectasis, impaired respiratory function.
- Cardiovascular: arrhythmia, myocarditis, coronary infarction, cardiomyopathy, chest pain, hypertension.
- Nervous: motor paralysis, cranial nerve palsy, epilepsy, delayed Guillain-Barre syndrome, post-Covid autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
- Mental health: hallucinations, tension disorders, delusions, mania, bipolar disorder, depression, mixed affective disorder, anxiety, unstable affect, mild cognitive impairment.
6. Personal protective equipment for preventing occupational Covid-19
Protective equipment is essential to prevent occupational Covid-19, especially when exposed to high-risk individuals. Required PPE includes:
- Disposable medical gloves.
- Disposable medical masks.
- High-filtration masks (N95).
- Full-body medical protective suit with hood.
- Medical shoe covers.
- Face shield or protective goggles: disposable or reusable after cleaning/disinfection, clear vision, anti-fog, anti-scratch.
7. Compensation for workers infected with Covid-19
In Vietnam, according to the Social Insurance Law, workers with occupational Covid-19 may receive compensation through health insurance and social insurance. Compensation depends on the case and may include:
- Treatment costs including medical examination, medications, travel, meals, rest, and allowances per social insurance regulations.
- If unable to work during treatment, lost wages are compensated.
- If permanent health damage occurs, compensation for health loss is provided under labor law.
Workers must prove the link between their illness and work via an occupational exposure record (Appendix 36) under Circular 02/2023/TT-BYT by the Ministry of Health to receive compensation.
Discover the Occupational Covid-19 Risk Assessment Tool, providing detailed risk evaluation and safety measures for workplace Covid-19 exposure.
8. Treatment of Covid-19
Treatment depends on age, health, and severity. Main approaches include:
- Ensure adequate nutrition, hydration, and rest.
- Use painkillers and antipyretics.
- Use antiviral medications.
- Severe cases may require ventilators for oxygen support.
Asymptomatic or mild cases may be treated at home or local Covid-19 facilities depending on the situation. Management includes symptom control and minimizing transmission risk in a fully equipped medical environment.
9. Prevention of occupational Covid-19
Prevention measures:
- Get Covid-19 vaccination.
- Wear cloth or medical masks when in contact with others; healthcare workers should wear masks at work and with patients.
- Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Maintain at least 2 meters social distance.
- Avoid crowded spaces, especially enclosed areas.
- Regularly clean and disinfect surfaces like desks, phones, keyboards, and door handles.
- Boost immunity with proper nutrition and regular exercise.
Healthcare workers should be trained in proper PPE use, including masks, eye protection, protective clothing, and gloves.
10. Responsibilities of businesses in Covid-19 prevention
Businesses must ensure the safety and health of employees and customers:
- Provide PPE such as masks, gloves, goggles, and protective clothing.
- Train and supervise staff in PPE use and Covid-19 preventive measures.
- Implement hygiene measures, encourage handwashing, sanitizer use, and mask-wearing.
- Minimize gatherings and promote online or delivery services.
- Provide Covid-19 information and support affected employees/customers.
- Adjust policies, including remote work, leave, and health insurance.
- Conduct workplace environmental monitoring and report results regularly.
11. National Center for Occupational Environmental Monitoring
Nam Viet Occupational Environmental Monitoring Center specializes in monitoring and measuring workplace environmental quality across Vietnam with experienced monitoring specialists and modern equipment.
REGISTER FOR OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENT MONITORING SERVICE
The center also assists in planning, handling, and monitoring workplace environmental issues, prioritizing customer satisfaction and providing optimal solutions.
Goals include:
- Maintaining brand reputation and service quality.
- Providing the best and most suitable solutions.
- Experienced team of Masters and Engineers committed to environmental protection and business benefits.
- Companies receive professional services from monitoring experts and cost advantages.
12. Occupational Environmental Monitoring Pricing
Nam Viet provides a pricing table for occupational environmental monitoring with detailed service costs including travel, measurements, analysis, and reporting. We offer competitive and transparent pricing and professional advice.
- Customers can select suitable service packages.
- We ensure maximum satisfaction with professional service quality.
