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. 2023 Feb;32(4):288-303.
doi: 10.1177/10482911221150237. Epub 2023 Jan 17.

Strengthening Social Compact and Innovative Health Sector Collaborations in Addressing COVID-19 in South African Workplaces

Mohamed F Jeebhay  1 , Rajen N Naidoo  2 , Saloshni Naidoo  3 , Shahieda Adams  1 , Muzimkhulu Zungu  4   5 , Spo Kgalomono  4 , Nisha Naicker  4   6 , Barry Kistnasamy  7
Affiliations

Strengthening Social Compact and Innovative Health Sector Collaborations in Addressing COVID-19 in South African Workplaces

Mohamed F Jeebhay et al. New Solut. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Workplaces are nodes for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 transmission and require strategies to protect workers' health. This article reports on the South African national coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) strategy that sought to ensure workers' health, protect the economic activity, safeguard livelihoods and support health services. Data from the Occupational Health Surveillance System, Surveillance System of Sentinel Hospital Sites, and government databases (public sector health worker and Compensation Fund data) was supplemented by peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. A multipronged, multi-stakeholder response to occupational health and safety (OHS) policy development, risk management, health surveillance, information, and training was adopted, underpinned by scientific input, through collaboration between government, organized labour, employer bodies, academia, and community partners. This resulted in government-promulgated legislation addressing OHS, sectoral guidelines, and work-related COVID-19 worker's compensation. The OHS Workstream of the National Department of Health provided leadership and technical support for COVID-specific workplace guidelines and practices, surveillance, information, and training, as well as a workplace-based vaccination strategy.

Keywords: COVID-19; framework response; multistakeholder collaboration; risk mitigation; workplaces.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
(a) COVID-19 Admissions per age Category from March 7, 2020, to August 7, 2021 (Source: NICD DATCOV19 Hospital Surveillance System, August 15, 2021). (Key dates: First South African Case: March 5, 2020; Alert Level 5: March 27, 2020; Return of Mineworkers: April 30, 2020; Alert Level 4: April 30, 2020; Alert Level 3: June 1, 2020; Alert Level 2: August 18, 2020; Alert Level 1: September 21, 2020; Alert Level 3: December 29, 2020; Alert Level 1: March 1, 2021; Level 2: May 30, 2021; Level 3: June 15, 2021; Level 4: June 27, 2021; Level 3: July 25, 2021; Level 2: September 12, 2021). (b) COVID-19 Infections and Their Outcomes in Health Workers by Province from April 14, 2020, to October 8, 2021 (Data source: National Department of Health, COVID-19 Infected Public Healthcare Workers Dashboard, October 8, 2021).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Daily and total COVID-19 cases diagnosed in the South African mining industry for the period March 2020 to July 2021. Source: Minerals Council of South Africa, 2021.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Distribution of COVID-19-positive employees by job category, for the period October 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
The power-policy triangle adapted for interventions in workers’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic (adapted from Topp et al 31).
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
COVID-19 matrix for exposure risk group versus social and economic necessity. Vaccination priority coding: Red: highest, orange: medium-high, yellow: medium-low, green: low. Note (*): Maintenance and cleaning—is a subcategory of administrative support, but needs to be elevated to a higher category than that of nonclient-facing administrative workers.
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