
Who is at risk?
Healthcare workers are among the populations currently most at risk of contact with people incubating mpox before definitive symptoms appear.
Pregnant workers and their unborn and young children and those with underlying immune deficiencies at the time of infection are at risk of complications and are known to lead to worse outcomes.
The COVID-19 pandemic saw the prevalence of mental ill-health increase by more than 25% and we now need to support our healthcare colleagues once again as they deal with mpox – a high consequence infectious disease (HCID). We now have an opportunity to develop and offer consistent standards of health monitoring, education and support to prevent and manage occupationally acquired infection whilst supporting our health protection colleagues.
Having a risk reduction is essential for vulnerable workers and an important part of the occupational health management plan and vulnerable worker risk assessment. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed monkeypox virus infection, or handling specimens from them, should , if possible, be previously vaccinated against smallpox when selected to care for the patient.
The role of Occupational Health
Control of pathogens within the workplace falls under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and recent events are an important reminder of the need to maintain our professional knowledge and engage in reflective practice.Whilst our Public Health, Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and Sexual Health (SH) colleagues are busy implementing the WHO’s recommendations for passive surveillance and early differential diagnosis of compatible symptoms, healthcare managers and OH professionals need to convene and partner closely with these colleagues to rapidly apply our learnings of the last 3 years.
A 2018 review4 of the occupational factors associated with psychological outcomes in healthcare employees during an infectious disease outbreak found that they need to
be prepared for the potential psychological impact and a supportive workplace environment with specific support in place for those most at risk.
Once again, robust occupational health practice requires us to research, analyse, interpret and apply emerging evidence, to lead on and roll out proactive evidence-based health monitoring including vulnerable worker health risk assessment (VWHRA), screening, immunisation and health education, post-exposure prophylaxis, and case management.