Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners
Abstract BackgroundNumerous studies have assessed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection among health care workers during the pandemic. However, far fewer studies have investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on essential workers in other sectors. Moreover, guidance for ma...
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JMIR Publications
2025-01-01
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| Series: | JMIR Public Health and Surveillance |
| Online Access: | https://publichealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e59845 |
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| author | Akshay Sood William “Cotton” Jarrell Xin W Shore Nestor Sosa Alisha Parada Nicholas Edwardson Alexandra V Yingling Teah Amirkabirian Qiuying Cheng Ivy Hurwitz Linda S Cook Shuguang Leng Orrin B Myers Douglas J Perkins |
| author_facet | Akshay Sood William “Cotton” Jarrell Xin W Shore Nestor Sosa Alisha Parada Nicholas Edwardson Alexandra V Yingling Teah Amirkabirian Qiuying Cheng Ivy Hurwitz Linda S Cook Shuguang Leng Orrin B Myers Douglas J Perkins |
| author_sort | Akshay Sood |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
BackgroundNumerous studies have assessed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection among health care workers during the pandemic. However, far fewer studies have investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on essential workers in other sectors. Moreover, guidance for maintaining a safely operating workplace in sectors outside of health care remains limited. Workplace surveillance has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but few studies have examined the feasibility or effectiveness of this approach.
ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of using frequent point-of-care molecular workplace surveillance as an intervention strategy to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at essential rural workplaces (mining sites) where physical distancing, remote work, and flexible schedules are not possible.
MethodsIn this nonrandomized controlled clinical trial conducted from February 2021, to March 2022, 169 miners in New Mexico (intervention cohort) and 61 miners in Wyoming (control cohort) were enrolled. Investigators performed point-of-care rapid antigen testing on midnasal swabs (NSs) self-collected by intervention miners. Our first outcome was the intervention acceptance rate in the intervention cohort. Our second outcome was the rate of cumulative postbaseline seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, which was analyzed in the intervention cohort and compared to the control cohort between baseline and 12 months. The diagnostic accuracy of detecting SARS-CoV-2 using rapid antigen testing on NSs was compared to laboratory-based reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) in a subset of 68 samples.
ResultsOur intervention had a mean acceptance rate of 96.4% (11,413/11,842). The intervention miners exhibited a lower cumulative postbaseline incident seropositivity at 12 months compared to control miners (14/97, 14% vs 17/45, 38%; P
ConclusionsOur findings establish frequent point-of-care molecular workplace COVID-19 surveillance as a feasible option for keeping essential rural workplaces open and preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread. These findings extend beyond this study, providing valuable insights for designing interventions to maintain employees’ safety at other essential workplaces during an infectious disease outbreak. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-159bc526b2634b5db2afdad0506470e0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2369-2960 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Public Health and Surveillance |
| spelling | doaj-art-159bc526b2634b5db2afdad0506470e02025-02-03T21:31:16ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Public Health and Surveillance2369-29602025-01-0111e59845e5984510.2196/59845Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among MinersAkshay Soodhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-1582-8444William “Cotton” Jarrellhttp://orcid.org/0009-0002-6948-5512Xin W Shorehttp://orcid.org/0009-0007-2363-9199Nestor Sosahttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-5244-5437Alisha Paradahttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-9134-4332Nicholas Edwardsonhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-7545-1135Alexandra V Yinglinghttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0911-0663Teah Amirkabirianhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-0273-3892Qiuying Chenghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-1343-1171Ivy Hurwitzhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-1566-1111Linda S Cookhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-8641-0710Shuguang Lenghttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9860-8158Orrin B Myershttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6291-2027Douglas J Perkinshttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-9390-6255 Abstract BackgroundNumerous studies have assessed the risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and infection among health care workers during the pandemic. However, far fewer studies have investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on essential workers in other sectors. Moreover, guidance for maintaining a safely operating workplace in sectors outside of health care remains limited. Workplace surveillance has been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but few studies have examined the feasibility or effectiveness of this approach. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of using frequent point-of-care molecular workplace surveillance as an intervention strategy to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 at essential rural workplaces (mining sites) where physical distancing, remote work, and flexible schedules are not possible. MethodsIn this nonrandomized controlled clinical trial conducted from February 2021, to March 2022, 169 miners in New Mexico (intervention cohort) and 61 miners in Wyoming (control cohort) were enrolled. Investigators performed point-of-care rapid antigen testing on midnasal swabs (NSs) self-collected by intervention miners. Our first outcome was the intervention acceptance rate in the intervention cohort. Our second outcome was the rate of cumulative postbaseline seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, which was analyzed in the intervention cohort and compared to the control cohort between baseline and 12 months. The diagnostic accuracy of detecting SARS-CoV-2 using rapid antigen testing on NSs was compared to laboratory-based reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) in a subset of 68 samples. ResultsOur intervention had a mean acceptance rate of 96.4% (11,413/11,842). The intervention miners exhibited a lower cumulative postbaseline incident seropositivity at 12 months compared to control miners (14/97, 14% vs 17/45, 38%; P ConclusionsOur findings establish frequent point-of-care molecular workplace COVID-19 surveillance as a feasible option for keeping essential rural workplaces open and preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread. These findings extend beyond this study, providing valuable insights for designing interventions to maintain employees’ safety at other essential workplaces during an infectious disease outbreak.https://publichealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e59845 |
| spellingShingle | Akshay Sood William “Cotton” Jarrell Xin W Shore Nestor Sosa Alisha Parada Nicholas Edwardson Alexandra V Yingling Teah Amirkabirian Qiuying Cheng Ivy Hurwitz Linda S Cook Shuguang Leng Orrin B Myers Douglas J Perkins Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners JMIR Public Health and Surveillance |
| title | Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners |
| title_full | Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners |
| title_short | Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners |
| title_sort | effectiveness of frequent point of care molecular covid 19 surveillance in a rural workplace nonrandomized controlled clinical trial among miners |
| url | https://publichealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e59845 |
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