The editor of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine sent a letter congratulating the authors of the article titled A rapid scoping review of COVID-19 and vulnerable workers: Intersecting occupational and public health issues. The article is one of the most cited of those published in this scholarly journal and "made an immediate impact in your community," according to the publisher, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Daniel Côté, a researcher at the IRSST, and his collaborators, Steve Durant, Ellen MacEachen, Shannon Majowicz, Samantha Meyer, Ai‑Thuy Huynh, Marie Laberge, and Jessica Dubé, have every reason to be proud.

The article reports the results of a rapid review of the literature on the risks of transmission of COVID-19 to workers in essential sectors, the retail sector, health care, manufacturing, and agriculture. The team particularly highlighted the experiences of workers in precarious employment and social situations.

“In this review, we found that COVID-19 infection and mortality rates increased not only with age and comorbidities but also with discrimination and structural inequalities based on race and gender. Racial and ethnic minority workers, including migrants, are concentrated in high-risk occupations. These people live in lower socio-economic conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have exacerbated already existing socio-economic and social inequalities,” recalls Daniel.

IDIVOSH

Immigration, diversity of the workforce, precariousness, and vulnerabilities in OSH have interested this scientist for several years; so much so that Daniel Côté and his colleague Jessica Dubé decided to organize an international conference to pursue the development of research programs on these themes. IDIVOSH 2023 is the first edition of an itinerant event focusing on the diversity of the workforce, immigrant workers, and OSH.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Gold Sponsor: Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST)
Bronze Sponsors: SHERPA University Institute and Laboratoire de recherche en relations interculturelles de l’Université de Montréal (LABRRI)
Keynote Speaker Sponsor: Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)
Special Sponsors: HEC Montréal and The Global Labour Research Centre at York University