COVID-19
COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. In short order, the world of work changed dramatically in Canada. Non-essential businesses were locked down. Some workers lost their jobs; others were sent home to work. Despite protections, workers in sectors ranging from health care to transportation to food production and retail faced risk of infection, illness and even death. IWH research examines the impact of the pandemic on workers and workplaces, as well as the lessons for work and health policy-makers to prepare for the next pandemic.
Featured
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At Work article
What can work-related COVID-19 cases tell us about how to prepare for the next pandemic?
A new study by IWH combined data sources to estimate work-related COVID-19 infection rates, using a method that took into account major shifts in where people worked.
Published: February 6, 2024
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IWH Speaker Series
Refining estimates of occupational exposures and risk of workplace COVID-19 transmission
Published: January 16, 2024
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IWH in the media
They made doors, gum and jerry cans. Ontario’s ‘essential’ workers in manufacturing accounted for more workplace COVID deaths than any other sector — even health care
Using fatality reports filed to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Toronto Star's Sara Mojtehedzadeh put together a comprehensive snapshot of COVID deaths in Ontario that are linked to workplace transmission. IWH president Dr. Peter Smith offers comments on the importance of occupational data in pandemic surveillance.
Published: Toronto Star, October 2022
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At Work article
Study of educators during pandemic found psychosocial conditions worse for those teaching online
In the fall of 2020, Ontario educators who taught in a virtual environment felt isolated and unsupported, while those working in-person experienced anxiety related to the risk of COVID transmission. That’s according a study of Ontario teachers, conducted by OHCOW and IWH.
Published: October 2022
Journal article
Journal article
A media surveillance analysis of COVID-19 workplace outbreaks in Canada and the United States
Published: FACETS, August 2022
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Research Highlights
Working conditions for Greater Toronto Area personal support workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Personal support workers (PSWs) faced a range of challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including concerns of contracting or transmitting the virus, reduced work hours and income, loss of childcare services and lack of paid sick leave. While the pandemic highlighted the importance of the PSW workforce to the Canadian health-care system, pre-existing poor working conditions—in particular, insecure jobs with few benefits—exacerbated COVID-19-related work experiences.
Published: July 2022
Journal article
Journal article
Increased workplace bullying against nurses during COVID-19: a health and safety issue
Published: Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, June 2022
Journal article
Journal article
The psychosocial work environment among educators during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published: Occupational Medicine, June 2022
Journal article
Journal article
From hands-on to remote: moderators of response to a novel self-management telehealth programme during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published: European Journal of Pain, May 2022
Journal article
Journal article
The working conditions for personal support workers in the Greater Toronto Area during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study
Published: Canadian Journal of Public Health, May 2022
Journal article
Journal article
Precarious work among personal support workers in the Greater Toronto Area: a respondent-driven sampling study
Published: CMAJ Open, April 2022
Project
Project
What are the long-term health and labour market outcomes of workers who experienced work-related COVID-19 transmission?
This project fills an important knowledge gap by determining the health and return-to-work outcomes of Canadians who acquired COVID-19 at work.
Status: Ongoing