Return-to-work, disabilities and occupational health in the age of COVID-19

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health Vol. 47; no. 5; pp. 408 - 409
• Main Authors: Godeau, Diane, Petit, Audrey, Richard, Isabelle, Roquelaure, Yves, Descatha, Alexis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Finland Finnish Institute of Occupational Health 01.07.2021; Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health; Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health (NOROSH); Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health
• Subjects: Chronic conditions; Chronic illnesses; Cohort Studies; Communicable Disease Control; Complications; Contamination; coronavirus; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - complications; Decision making; Disabilities; Disease control; Ecology, environment; Epidemics; France - epidemiology; Health; Humans; Letter to the Editor; Life Sciences; Male; Occupational Health; Pandemics; Persons with Disabilities; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Rehabilitation; Reproducibility of Results; Return to Work; Santé publique et épidémiologie; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sustainable development; Vaccination; Viral diseases; France; United States > US
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3960

Recommendations such as physical and social distancing and wearing a facemask are highly advisable to protect against infection but may not be enough to enable some individuals to resume work. [...]decision-making requires individual comprehensive assessments of the underlying medical condition, the SARS-CoV-2 contamination risk associated with either regular work or teleworking, and vaccination opportunities. Strategies promoting return to work for these workers will need to be implemented and could be similar to programmes developed for other chronic conditions. [...]numerous more serious sequelae following critical illness suggest the need for enhanced support by rehabilitation and occupational health specialists. [...]the consequences of the epidemic must be evaluated over time for people who suffered from functional limitations before COVID-19 as their physical and mental condition may be modified by the epidemic and, specifically, the consequences of lockdown (10).