COVID-19 Pandemic: New Prevention and Protection Measures

Luigi Cirrincione, Fulvio Plescia, Caterina Ledda, Venerando Rapisarda, Daniela Martorana, Guido Lacca, Antonina Argo, Stefania Zerbo, Ermanno Vitale, Denis Vinnikov and Emanuele Cannizzaro
Additional contact information
Luigi Cirrincione: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Fulvio Plescia: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Caterina Ledda: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania Italy, 95131 Catania, Italy
Venerando Rapisarda: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania Italy, 95131 Catania, Italy
Daniela Martorana: Department of Orthopedics, Hospital Company "Ospedali Riuniti Villa Sofia-Cervello", 90146 Palermo, Italy
Guido Lacca: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Antonina Argo: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Stefania Zerbo: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
Ermanno Vitale: Occupational Medicine, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania Italy, 95131 Catania, Italy
Denis Vinnikov: Faculty of Medicine and Healthcare, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Al-Farabi Avenue 71, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
Emanuele Cannizzaro: Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties “Giuseppe D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: As of the end of February 2021, more than 420,000,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with 5,856,224 deaths. Transmission of the different genetically engineered variants of SARS-CoV-2, which have been isolated since the beginning of the pandemic, occurs from one infected person to another by the same means: the airborne route, indirect contact, and occasionally the fecal–oral route. Infection is asymptomatic or may present with flulike symptoms such as fever, cough, and mild to moderate and severe respiratory distress, requiring hospitalization and assisted ventilation support. To control the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have indicated that the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the adoption of effective hygiene systems, is one of the primary prevention measures for the entire population. Companies and institutions around the world are therefore trying to find the best ways to reorganize their operations, minimizing the risk of infection among their employees, in order to protect their health and prevent internal outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2, including through the development of new technologies that could also be an innovative and driving factor for the relaunch of companies in a more sustainable, ethically correct, and safe for the health of employees perspective. On the basis of the above premises, in view of the coexistence with SARS-CoV-2 that will most likely accompany us in the coming years, and in view of the vaccination campaign adopted worldwide, the purpose of our narrative review is to update the previous operational protocols with the latest scientific knowledge to be adopted in the workplace even when the emergency crisis is over.

Keywords: organizational measures; environmental measures; pandemic; infection; work; occupational medicine; coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; protection; prevention; protocol; PPE; mask; gloves (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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