PROTECT COVID-19 National Core Study / Research themes / Sector-specific studies

Theme 3: Sector-specific studies

When it comes to controlling workplace transmission of the COVID-19 virus, different industrial sectors face different challenges, both in terms of likely transmission routes and which control measures can be practically and effectively implemented.

Theme 3 of PROTECT is therefore conducting targeted studies to improve understanding of specific risks and support these sectors to return to more normal operation. The sectors being studied include transport, food manufacturing, retail and hospitality.

Qualitative surveys and interviews will be conducted with people working in these sectors, alongside analysis of quantitative datasets such as those on occupation and COVID-19 mortality held by the Office for National Statistics. Theme 3 researchers will also work closely with Theme 1 to take advantage of data generated by workplace outbreak investigations, as well as with the National Core Study on Data and Connectivity to improve data collection.

Theme 3 projects

Find out more about individual research projects taking place within the Sector-specific studies theme.

Pharmacist wearing PPE.

Behavioural factors influencing face covering use in retail consulting environments


Identify the factors that influence the use of face coverings and their effectiveness in personal consulting environments in the retail sector.

 

Workers in a cheese production facility.

COVID-19 at Work: understanding transmission in the food processing sector


Supporting the cross-sharing of lessons learned, good practices and information sources across the industry.

 

Train passenger wearing a face mask.

COVID-19 at Work: understanding transmission in the public transport sector


Enhancing knowledge and understanding of transmission and risk perception in the public transport sector.

 

A graphic showing workers from different sectors.

Cross sector study


Improving understanding of the risks associated with COVID-19 infection.

 

High power electricity poles in urban area connected to smart grid. Energy supply, distribution of energy, transmitting energy, energy transmission, high voltage supply concept photo.

Deep Dive into the UK Energy Sector


Integrated research study comprising four research tasks.

 

A graphic showing the connections between people.

Enduring Prevalence


Study to examine why some local authority areas have high, sustained levels of COVID-19 prevalence

 

A map of Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Case Study


Investigating workplace responses and support during the course of the pandemic.

 

A graphic representation of someone analysing data on a computer.

Sector-specific evidence reports


Sector-specific evidence reports based on data, evidence and knowledge from PROTECT and elsewhere.

 

Team wearing face coverings as COVID-19 safety measure.

Understanding what influences the wearing of face coverings


Developing interventions to promote uptake, reuptake and sustained use of face coverings.

 

Person pointing at 2 tablet screens showing business graphics and an online meeting.

Use of existing datasets to explore occupational risks from SARS-CoV-2


Showing the relative differences in risk between occupations.

 

Co-workers chatting as they walk down a corridor.

Virus Watch Community Cohort


Investigating how COVID-19 virus infection risk differs between occupations, what causes variation, and what can be done to control it.
Theme Researchers

Health and Safety Executive

  • Yiqun Chen
  • David Fishwick
  • JP Gorce
  • Nick Warren

Institute of Occupational Medicine

Liverpool Hope University

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

ONS

  • Vahe Nafilyan

University College London

University of Lancaster

University of Leeds

University of Manchester

 

Other research themes

1. Outbreak investigations
2. Transmission modelling
4. Tools and methods
5. Experimental infection
6. Knowledge synthesis

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