NIOSH Risk-Based Model to Resume Field Research and Public Health Service in 2020 During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, field research and public health service work conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was put on hold. During this time, NIOSH developed a risk-based model to resume fieldwork, balancing the public health benefit of such fieldwork with the risks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 exposure and transmission. We describe our experiences with this model, along with the broader public health significance of the methods used to inform risk management decisions. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(8):1138–1141. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306882 )