Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control

Hannah Taylor; Shelui Collinson; María Saavedra-Campos; Rosalind Douglas; Clare Humphreys; David J. Roberts; Karthik Paranthaman

doi:10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217

Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control

Hannah Taylor^*, Shelui Collinson, María Saavedra-Campos, Rosalind Douglas, Clare Humphreys, David J. Roberts, Karthik Paranthaman

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives: Human behavioural factors are an important consideration in the response to COVID-19 outbreaks. Prior to the emergence of highly infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 and implementation of vaccination programmes, we conducted a study to explore the role of behavioural factors influencing transmission at an essential services workplace during an outbreak of COVID-19.

Study design: Observational cohort study.

Methods: In response to a COVID-19 outbreak in November 2020 at an office-based call centre workplace providing an essential service in Thames Valley, we designed and conducted an anonymous staff questionnaire to explore potential behavioural factors of staff behaviour that influence transmission.

Results: A total of 45 staff (27%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over a six-week period between 26 October and 14 December 2020. The online questionnaire was cascaded to 168 staff members; the response rate was 41%. Self-reported use of hand sanitiser, face masks and cleaning of equipment in line with workplace guidance was 86%, 66% and 63% respectively. On the same behaviours, respondents reported that 33%, 31% and 14% of their colleagues followed the recommendations. Almost two thirds of respondents (63%) reported that they were unable to maintain social distancing at the workplace, primarily due to operational constraints.

Conclusions: Prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces providing an essential service is challenging. Operational requirements, often compounded by reduced staff availability, impede implementation of more robust control measures. Ongoing assessment of human behavioural factors in the control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces in the post-vaccine era is essential.

Original language	English
Article number	100217
Journal	Public Health in Practice
Volume	2
Early online date	8 Nov 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: No ethical approval was required for this outbreak investigation. PHE, now UKHSA, has legal permission, provided by Regulation 3 of The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, to process confidential patient information for national surveillance of communicable diseases. This study was undertaken as part of an outbreak investigation and had no funding.

Open Access: This is an open access article under the Open Government License (OGL) (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/)

Publisher Copyright: Crown Copyright © 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health.

Citation: Hannah Taylor, Shelui Collinson, María Saavedra-Campos, Rosalind Douglas, Clare Humphreys, David J. Roberts, Karthik Paranthaman, Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control, Public Health in Practice, Volume 2, 2021, 100217, ISSN 2666-5352,

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217.

Keywords

Epidemiology
Infections
Public health
Workplace

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

Taylor, H., Collinson, S., Saavedra-Campos, M., Douglas, R., Humphreys, C., Roberts, D. J., & Paranthaman, K. (2021). Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control. Public Health in Practice, 2, Article 100217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217

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title = "Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control",

abstract = "Objectives: Human behavioural factors are an important consideration in the response to COVID-19 outbreaks. Prior to the emergence of highly infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 and implementation of vaccination programmes, we conducted a study to explore the role of behavioural factors influencing transmission at an essential services workplace during an outbreak of COVID-19. Study design: Observational cohort study. Methods: In response to a COVID-19 outbreak in November 2020 at an office-based call centre workplace providing an essential service in Thames Valley, we designed and conducted an anonymous staff questionnaire to explore potential behavioural factors of staff behaviour that influence transmission. Results: A total of 45 staff (27%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over a six-week period between 26 October and 14 December 2020. The online questionnaire was cascaded to 168 staff members; the response rate was 41%. Self-reported use of hand sanitiser, face masks and cleaning of equipment in line with workplace guidance was 86%, 66% and 63% respectively. On the same behaviours, respondents reported that 33%, 31% and 14% of their colleagues followed the recommendations. Almost two thirds of respondents (63%) reported that they were unable to maintain social distancing at the workplace, primarily due to operational constraints. Conclusions: Prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces providing an essential service is challenging. Operational requirements, often compounded by reduced staff availability, impede implementation of more robust control measures. Ongoing assessment of human behavioural factors in the control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces in the post-vaccine era is essential.",

keywords = "Epidemiology, Infections, Public health, Workplace",

author = "Hannah Taylor and Shelui Collinson and Mar{\'i}a Saavedra-Campos and Rosalind Douglas and Clare Humphreys and Roberts, {David J.} and Karthik Paranthaman",

note = "Funding Information: No ethical approval was required for this outbreak investigation. PHE, now UKHSA, has legal permission, provided by Regulation 3 of The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, to process confidential patient information for national surveillance of communicable diseases. This study was undertaken as part of an outbreak investigation and had no funding. Open Access: This is an open access article under the Open Government License (OGL) (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) Publisher Copyright: Crown Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. Citation: Hannah Taylor, Shelui Collinson, Mar{\'i}a Saavedra-Campos, Rosalind Douglas, Clare Humphreys, David J. Roberts, Karthik Paranthaman, Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control, Public Health in Practice, Volume 2, 2021, 100217, ISSN 2666-5352, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217.",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217",

language = "English",

volume = "2",

journal = "Public Health in Practice",

issn = "2666-5352",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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T2 - Implications for investigation and control

AU - Taylor, Hannah

AU - Collinson, Shelui

AU - Saavedra-Campos, María

AU - Douglas, Rosalind

AU - Humphreys, Clare

AU - Roberts, David J.

AU - Paranthaman, Karthik

N1 - Funding Information: No ethical approval was required for this outbreak investigation. PHE, now UKHSA, has legal permission, provided by Regulation 3 of The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002, to process confidential patient information for national surveillance of communicable diseases. This study was undertaken as part of an outbreak investigation and had no funding. Open Access: This is an open access article under the Open Government License (OGL) (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) Publisher Copyright: Crown Copyright © 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. Citation: Hannah Taylor, Shelui Collinson, María Saavedra-Campos, Rosalind Douglas, Clare Humphreys, David J. Roberts, Karthik Paranthaman, Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control, Public Health in Practice, Volume 2, 2021, 100217, ISSN 2666-5352, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100217.

PY - 2021/11

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N2 - Objectives: Human behavioural factors are an important consideration in the response to COVID-19 outbreaks. Prior to the emergence of highly infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 and implementation of vaccination programmes, we conducted a study to explore the role of behavioural factors influencing transmission at an essential services workplace during an outbreak of COVID-19. Study design: Observational cohort study. Methods: In response to a COVID-19 outbreak in November 2020 at an office-based call centre workplace providing an essential service in Thames Valley, we designed and conducted an anonymous staff questionnaire to explore potential behavioural factors of staff behaviour that influence transmission. Results: A total of 45 staff (27%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over a six-week period between 26 October and 14 December 2020. The online questionnaire was cascaded to 168 staff members; the response rate was 41%. Self-reported use of hand sanitiser, face masks and cleaning of equipment in line with workplace guidance was 86%, 66% and 63% respectively. On the same behaviours, respondents reported that 33%, 31% and 14% of their colleagues followed the recommendations. Almost two thirds of respondents (63%) reported that they were unable to maintain social distancing at the workplace, primarily due to operational constraints. Conclusions: Prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces providing an essential service is challenging. Operational requirements, often compounded by reduced staff availability, impede implementation of more robust control measures. Ongoing assessment of human behavioural factors in the control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces in the post-vaccine era is essential.

AB - Objectives: Human behavioural factors are an important consideration in the response to COVID-19 outbreaks. Prior to the emergence of highly infectious variants of SARS-CoV-2 and implementation of vaccination programmes, we conducted a study to explore the role of behavioural factors influencing transmission at an essential services workplace during an outbreak of COVID-19. Study design: Observational cohort study. Methods: In response to a COVID-19 outbreak in November 2020 at an office-based call centre workplace providing an essential service in Thames Valley, we designed and conducted an anonymous staff questionnaire to explore potential behavioural factors of staff behaviour that influence transmission. Results: A total of 45 staff (27%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 over a six-week period between 26 October and 14 December 2020. The online questionnaire was cascaded to 168 staff members; the response rate was 41%. Self-reported use of hand sanitiser, face masks and cleaning of equipment in line with workplace guidance was 86%, 66% and 63% respectively. On the same behaviours, respondents reported that 33%, 31% and 14% of their colleagues followed the recommendations. Almost two thirds of respondents (63%) reported that they were unable to maintain social distancing at the workplace, primarily due to operational constraints. Conclusions: Prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces providing an essential service is challenging. Operational requirements, often compounded by reduced staff availability, impede implementation of more robust control measures. Ongoing assessment of human behavioural factors in the control of COVID-19 outbreaks at workplaces in the post-vaccine era is essential.

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KW - Infections

KW - Public health

KW - Workplace

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Lessons learnt from an outbreak of COVID-19 in a workplace providing an essential service, Thames Valley, England 2020: Implications for investigation and control

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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