Allowing construction to continue without restrictions during the pandemic appears to have increased transmission of the disease in both the industry, and the surrounding community, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Texas.
Construction work in the Austin area was halted in March because of the pandemic, but was allowed to resume a week later by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
According to Safety and Health magazine, based on projections from spring through summer, allowing “unrestricted” construction work was associated with an increased hospitalization rate, to 1.5 per 1,000 residents from 0.38 per 1,000 residents. In the construction industry, the hospitalization rate had a projected increase to 9.3 per 1,000 workers from 0.22 per 1,000 workers.
“It appears that construction work in Austin during the spring 2020 lockdown was associated with a fivefold greater Covid-19 hospitalization risk among workers and exacerbation of the local epidemic,” the researchers wrote. “However, stringent workplace safety measures could significantly mitigate these risks.”
