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Working in a grocery store puts employees at serious risk of coronavirus infection, scientists warn and they have evidence of this. A survey conducted in one of the Boston stores showed that as much as 20 percent. people working there had COVID-19, and three out of four infected people had no symptoms. «We were very surprised by this». CNN wrote about the study.
- Working in a grocery store exposes employees to serious risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially those who come into contact with customers
- Survey: out of 104 store employees, 20 percent tested positive for SARS-CoV-2
- Three out of four infected people had no symptoms. Scientists: We were surprised by this
- Almost 25 percent people employed in customer service departments admitted having problems with anxiety and depression
- You can find more about the coronavirus on the TvoiLokony home page
20 percent store crew infected with COVID-19
The conclusion of a study at a Boston grocery store is worrying. And it’s not just that working in such a place exposes employees to a serious risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially those who are in contact with customers and therefore entails a high mental burden. These people also likely became a “significant source of transmission” for COVID-19 without knowing it at all. As the analyzes have shown, three out of four people tested positive for the coronavirus had no symptoms.
Nasal swabs were obtained from 104 participants. It turned out that 20 percent. this group tested positive. The researchers emphasize that this was a much higher result than in other communities. As it was assessed, in employees who have contact with customers, the risk of obtaining a positive test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 increased fivefold in relation to people working in other positions.
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Employees participating in the study declared that they tried to take precautionary measures against the infection. Almost all (91%) stated that they wore a protective mask in the store, 77% claimed they also used face shields outside of work. Only 66 percent. admitted that while performing official duties, it is able to consistently maintain a safe social distance.
Most infected people have no symptoms. Scientists surprised
The element that surprised scientists was the percentage of people who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, but passed through completely asymptomatically. As it turned out, three out of four infected people had no symptoms. “ We were definitely surprised to see there are so many people without COVID-19 symptoms, ” admitted Dr. Justin Yang, an assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine and a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health who worked on the study.
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– This is very worrying because it means that employees of retail grocery stores, in contact with customers, contribute to the spread of the virus – they are almost like “superbugs” – said the scientist.
COVID-19 risk and problems with anxiety and depression
Although the majority of store employees protected themselves by wearing protective masks, difficulties in maintaining a safe social distance in the workplace had a disastrous effect on their mental condition.
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Almost 25 percent people employed in customer service departments admitted that they had problems with anxiety and depression (among employees who had no contact with buyers, this problem concerned 8%). The study also showed that workers who commuted to work by bicycle, car or on foot were less likely to suffer from depression than those who used public transport.
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“It is really stressful to have an employee standing in front of a client and not being able to keep a safe distance,” admits Justin Yang.
The researcher notes that infection rates among store employees in Boston appear to be high. By comparison, a previous study of COVID-19 infections among Dutch health workers found the infection rate to be around 10%.
The researcher hopes that the conclusions of his study will encourage the government and store owners to provide employees with better protection against the coronavirus and provide them with routine testing for the pathogen.
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According to the latest data from United Food and Commercial Workers International (a trade union representing 1,3 million American workers related to the food and trade sector), at least 108 grocery store employees have died from COVID-19, and more than 16,3 thousand have been infected or exposed to SARS-CoV-2.
The study discussed in this article was published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an academic journal presenting research in occupational and environmental medicine.
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