Exposure to airborne viruses is a significant concern for workers across various sectors, including waste management, healthcare, water supply, and public-facing activities. Understanding these exposure risks is essential for developing effective prevention measures.
The topic of workplace virus exposure has gained renewed attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. This was evident at the latest PEROSH (Partnership for European Research in Occupational Safety and Health) conference in Stockholm, where several presentations focused on this issue. Furthering this effort, a consortium of ten institutes, including several PEROSH members such as HSE, IFA, NFA, Unisanté, and INRS, has published a comprehensive review on methods for assessing airborne viruses.
This review provides a detailed summary of the various techniques used to evaluate workers´ exposure to viruses. It covers key aspects such as sample collection, transportation, elution, and virus detection. The review is based on an analysis of 53 studies conducted between 2010 and 2023. The findings reveal a wide range of methodologies, making direct comparisons between studies challenging. Moreover, the review underscores the need for further research to refine and standardize these assessment methods.
For more details, you can access the full publication here: Scoping Review on Airborne Virus Assessment.
For inquiries, please contact:
Carla Viegas
H&TRC – Health & Technology Research Center
CISP – Centro de Investigação em Saúde Pública
CHRC – Comprehensive Health Research Center
Email: carla.viegas@estesl.ipl.pt
