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Jain V, Waghorn M, Thorn-Heathcock R, et al. Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19. J Public Health (Oxf). 2021;43(2):236-242doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239.
Jain, V., Waghorn, M., Thorn-Heathcock, R., Lamb, P., Bell, A., & Addiman, S. (2021). Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19. Journal of public health (Oxford, England), 43(2), 236-242. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239
Jain, Vageesh, et al. "Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19." Journal of public health (Oxford, England) vol. 43,2 (2021): 236-242. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239
Jain V, Waghorn M, Thorn-Heathcock R, Lamb P, Bell A, Addiman S. Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19. J Public Health (Oxf). 2021 Jun 07;43(2):236-242. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239. PMID: 33429439; PMCID: PMC7928819.
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J Public Health (Oxf). 2021 Jun 07;43(2):236-242. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239.

Attendance at London workplaces after symptom onset: a retrospective cohort study of staff members with confirmed COVID-19.

Journal of public health (Oxford, England)

Vageesh Jain, Maria Waghorn, Rachel Thorn-Heathcock, Peter Lamb, Anita Bell, Sarah Addiman

Affiliations

  1. North East North Central London Health Protection Team & London Coronavirus Response Centre, Public Health England, SE1 8UG, UK.
  2. Academic Clinical Fellow in Public Health, University College London, WC1E 7HB, UK.
  3. South London Health Protection Team & London Coronavirus Response Centre, Public Health England, SE1 8UG, UK.

PMID: 33429439 PMCID: PMC7928819 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdaa239

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID)-secure workplace guidance, including the prompt self-isolation of those with COVID-19 symptoms, is fundamental to disease control in workplaces. Despite guidance, a large number of workplace outbreaks have been observed. This study aimed to identify the proportion of symptomatic staff members attending workplaces after symptom onset or testing, and associated factors.

METHODS: This study of symptomatic COVID-19 cases associated with London workplaces used London Coronavirus Response Centre (LCRC) records from routine telephone calls with cases and employers, from 17th July to 10th September. For each case, symptoms, date of onset, date of testing and the last attendance at work were extracted. Univariable logistic regression was performed to investigate whether age, gender or occupation was associated with workplace attendance after the onset of symptoms.

RESULTS: Out of 130 symptomatic COVID-19 cases, 42 (32.3%) attended the workplace after their reported date of symptom onset, including 16 (12.3%) with recorded COVID-19 symptoms. Five staff members attended after COVID-19 testing. Males were 66% less likely to attend the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms compared to females (odds ratio 0.34, P = 0.05). Age and occupation were not predictive for workplace attendance after the onset of symptoms.

CONCLUSION: A minority of symptomatic cases attended the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, with a smaller proportion attending after testing. Males appeared less likely to attend the workplace after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. This study highlights the need for ongoing COVID-19 secure workplace practices and prompt self-isolation after COVID-19 symptom onset or testing.

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].

Keywords: communicable diseases; health protection; public health

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