Health and work update for clients as at 23 May 2022
UPDATE ON PROMOTING, PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING HEALTH IN WORK
1. Monkeypox
The media1 have reported cases of monkeypox, which is rare in the UK and usually associated with travel to West Africa2. The Government have provided advice, in particular in relation to travel, and that those with the infection should self-isolate for 3 weeks3. The reason for this is that the incubation period for monkeypox is between 5 and 21 days.
Cases of monkeypox have been identified in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. Monkeypox virus is related to, but distinct from, the viruses that cause smallpox (variola virus) and cowpox. It is generally a mild self-limiting illness. Spread of monkeypox may occur when a person comes into close contact with an infected animal, from the pox lesions of people infected, or materials contaminated
with the virus. Monkeypox infection is usually a self-limiting illness, and most people recover within several weeks. However, severe illness can occur in some individuals.
The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHA)4 advises that risks in the general community are low. It is not expected that this infection would have a substantial effect on workplaces, other than for the small number of people who will be required to isolate. Our advice is that especially among children, pox like rashes are much more likely to be due to chickenpox. The pattern of the chickenpox
rash is different to monkeypox; although both cause rashes on the face, the central trunk is usually affected in chickenpox5. There are many cases of chickenpox in the community currently.
2. COVID-19 autumn boosters
Levels of COVID-19 continue to reduce in the UK and overall globally6, although there is an expectation that cases may rise again in the Autumn.
The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have announced that COVID-19 immunisation boosters will be for more vulnerable adults, as well as frontline social care and health workers, in order to maintain their protection over the winter against severe COVID-197.
The COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to:
- residents in a care home for older adults and staff
- frontline health and social care workers
- all those 65 years of age and over
- adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group
1 BBC News at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61546480
2 WHO information on monkeypox at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/monkeypox
3 Monkeypox: case definitions at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/monkeypox-case-definitions
4 UKHSA guidance on Monkeypox at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/monkeypox
5 Chickenpox at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/
6 WHO international COVI-19 dashboard at: https://covid19.who.int/
7 JCVI provides interim advice on an autumn COVID-19 booster programme at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-provides-interim-advice-on-an-autumn-covid-19-booster-programme
3. Guidance for employers on COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
We will continue to provide updates and maintain resources on our website for employers at:
https://cordellhealth.co.uk/ .
As always we continue to advise employers on measures to prevent ill health in the workplace, and on health and work for individual employees on management referral.
Dr Robin Cordell
MBA FRCP FFOM
23 May 2022