RESUMEN
Globally, migrant and immigrant workers have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic as essential workers. They might be a Bulgarian worker at a meat processing plant in Germany, a Central American farmworker in the fields of California, or a Filipino worker at an aged-care facility in Australia. What they have in common is they are all essential workers who have worked throughout the coronavirus pandemic and have been infected with coronavirus at work. COVID-19 has highlighted the inequitable working conditions of these workers. In many instances, they are employed precariously, and so are ineligible for sick leave or social security, or COVID-19 special payments. If these are essential workers, they should get at least the same health and safety benefits of all nonessential workers. Improving the working and living conditions of migrant workers can and should be a positive outcome of the coronavirus pandemic.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19/epidemiología , Enfermedades Profesionales/epidemiología , Migrantes/estadística & datos numéricos , COVID-19/transmisión , Estudios Transversales , Salud Global/estadística & datos numéricos , Fuerza Laboral en Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Beneficios del Seguro/estadística & datos numéricos , Salud Laboral/estadística & datos numéricos , Servicios de Salud del Trabajador/provisión & distribución , Factores de Riesgo , Ausencia por Enfermedad/estadística & datos numéricos , Seguridad Social/estadística & datos numéricos , Valores Sociales , Factores SocioeconómicosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The proliferation of improvised masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised questions regarding filter effectiveness and safety. We sought to compare the effectiveness of commonly used improvised filter materials against N95 industry standards. METHODS: Six different filter materials commonly used in the community were tested using both single- and multi-layer configurations with the TSI 8130 automated filter tester in accordance with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards for N95 respirators. RESULTS: Only three of the tested filter material configurations met N95 parameters with regard to filtration efficiency and pressure drop across the filter material-the: True-high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, four-layer MERV 13 and 14 HVAC filters. CONCLUSIONS: Many proposed filter materials for improvised masks do not meet current industry standards and may pose safety and efficacy concerns. Care should be taken when selecting materials for this critical respirator component, particularly for health care workers or others at high risk for pathogen exposure.
