They are on the front line facing the pandemic. Health professionals, but also food, transport or security, should be "supported for occupational diseases" in case of infection with coronavirus, said Monday the Academy of Medicine.
In a press release, she recalled first that, "in all sectors, the responsibility of employers is to protect the health of their employees as well as possible", recommending the availability of hydro-alcoholic masks and gels, as well as the application of barrier measures to stem the Covid-19 epidemic.
Cov # Covid19 # HEALTH AT #WORK A cover for professional illnesses, affected by service and work accident must benefit professionals working for the essential function of the country who have suffered severely from C19🦠
PRESS RELEASE ➡️ https://t.co/OsVTMfk93L ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Ff6N9uGAbE
However for those "who have been exposed and have suffered serious consequences", the institution suggests that they "be taken care of as occupational diseases due to viruses", as is already possible for hepatitis, rabies or nosocomial infections.
Expand to food, transportation and security
The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, already promised in March that "for all (the) caregivers who fall ill, the coronavirus will be recognized as an occupational disease".
The Academy of Medicine suggests doing the same for "the personnel working for the essential functioning of the country", in particular in the sectors of food, public transport and security.
For the time being, in the absence of a “work-related illness table” specific to the coronavirus, it recommends that the patients “may be declared (as) a condition attributable to the service for state and community officials, in an accident work for others ”.
