Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (P2R) Consortium: El Paso COVID-19 Recovery Training

Project Summary/Abstract El Paso is a Texas-Mexico border city with a predominantly Hispanic (82%) population (US Census Bureau, 2020) and multiple risk factors for poor health outcomes. In comparison with other areas of the country, El Paso County has experienced a disproportionate increase in the number of Coronavirus 2019 (or COVID-19) cases and fatalities since October 2020. The Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (P2R) Consortium proposes to address this public health concern through training and outreach to local business owners and essential workers. The long-term goals of the P2R Consortium are 1.) to prepare workers and communities to protect themselves, their colleagues, and their environment from exposures to hazardous materials in the workplace; and, 2.) to promote the health, resiliency, and financial stability of communities that are most vulnerable to disasters. In pursuit of these goals, the overall objective of this proposed project is to deliver actionable, site-specific training in COVID-19 mitigation strategies to vulnerable populations in the El Paso area. To achieve this objective, the P2R Consortium will work with local partners at the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Water, and University Medical Center of El Paso to identify resource and training needs and to fulfill three aims. In Aim 1, the project team will expand and refine a COVID-19 risk profile tool that layers DOL O*NET attributes, OSHA COVID-19 Worker Exposure Risk categories, and other site-, job-, and worker-specific characteristics to calculate a site-specific risk profile for workers by job classification and task. Findings will be discussed with business owners to ensure a comprehensive, accurate, and collaborative risk assessment. In Aim 2, the P2R Consortium will apply the NIOSH hierarchy of controls framework to each worksite's risk profile and create an individual and actionable SARS-CoV-2 transmission mitigation plan in English and Spanish. Business owners in this activity will be full partners in developing the plan. In Aim 3, following the mitigation plan developed in Aim 2, the P2R Consortium will deliver high quality, culturally appropriate training and resources (e.g., facial coverings, gloves, signage, disinfectants) to mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace. The project team will focus on supporting owners to effectively implement the mitigation plan at the worksite. The P2R Consortium will connect business owners and workers to additional resources as appropriate. To continuously improve this program, the P2R Consortium will assess business owners' reactions to the mitigation plans and administer knowledge assessments to workers. A strength of this project is its unique approach to increase the uptake of COVID-19 transmission mitigation measures - with an emphasis on vulnerable communities - in the El Paso area. Additionally, it will establish a new model for creating high impact, individualized training for other workplace hazards.