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Kongkamol C, Ingviya T, Chusri S, Surasombatpattana S, Kwanyuang A, Chaichulee S, Sophark I, Seesong C, Sorntavorn T, Detpreechakul T, Phaiboonpornpong P, Krainara K, Sathirapanya P, Sathirapanya C. Integrative Effects between a Bubble and Seal Program and Workers' Compliance to Health Advice on Successful COVID-19 Transmission Control in a Factory in Southern Thailand. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:16391. [PMID: 36554271 PMCID: PMC9778696 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Applying health measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission caused disruption of businesses. A practical plan to balance public health and business sustainability during the pandemic was needed. Herein, we describe a "Bubble and Seal" (B&S) program implemented in a frozen seafood factory in southern Thailand. We enrolled 1539 workers who lived in the factory dormitories. First, the workers who had a high fatality risk were triaged by RT-PCR tests, quarantined and treated if they had COVID-19. Newly diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 workers underwent the same practices. The non-quarantined workers were regulated to work and live in their groups without contact across the groups. Workers' personal hygiene and preventive measures were strongly stressed. Between the 6th and 9th weeks of the program, the post-COVID-19 infection status (PCIS) of all participants was evaluated by mass COVID-19 antibody or RT-PCR tests. Finally, 91.8% of the workers showed positive PCIS, which was above the number required for program exit. Although no workers had received a vaccination, there was only one case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and no evidence of COVID-19 spreading to the surrounding communities. Implementation of the B&S program and workers' adherence to health advice was the key to this success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanon Kongkamol
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
- Air Pollution and Health Effect Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Thammasin Ingviya
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
- Air Pollution and Health Effect Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sarunyou Chusri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Smonrapat Surasombatpattana
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Atichart Kwanyuang
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Sitthichok Chaichulee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Intouch Sophark
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Chaiwat Seesong
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Thanawan Sorntavorn
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Tanyawan Detpreechakul
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Pindanunant Phaiboonpornpong
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Kamol Krainara
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Pornchai Sathirapanya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Chutarat Sathirapanya
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai 90110, Songkhla, Thailand
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