Over the next two years, a team of six researchers from Université Laval and Université de Montréal will follow 600 food and retail workers.
Different risks
In this study funded by the COVID-19 Immunity Working Group, researchers want to better understand the risks to which they are exposed and their rate of infection with the virus.
Working conditions differed from industry to industry, but all of these workers provided customer service and could therefore be more exposed to the virus. For example, when bars and restaurants were open, customers did not have to wear the mask at their table.
Workers were exposed to people who did not have masks. The risk of commercial workers is believed to be different from the risk of healthcare workers and the general population
, explains Sylvie Trottier, who is a researcher at the Center de recherche du CHAPTER of Quebec-Laval University.
Sylvie Trottier is part of a team of six researchers who will study 600 food and retail workers.
Photo: Radio-Canada
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Essential workers
Lyne Deslauriers is employed in a retail business in the Quebec City region. She feels lucky to have been able to continue working during the crisis. However, she saw the consequences of being considered an essential worker had on her environment. The first wave was the wave that we were most affected. There was fear. We lost employees who chose to quit for fear of having COVID
, she explains.
Seeing the invitation, she quickly decided to take part in this study.: “if I can help, this is my way of helping ” “,” text “:” We have suffered a lot from COVID, especially the first wave. I thought to myself: “if I can help, this is my way of helping ” “}}”>We have suffered a lot from COVID, especially the first wave. I thought to myself: “If I can help, this is my way of helping”.
Immune system
In addition to studying the prevalence of the virus in volunteers, the study will try to determine if there is a difference between the immune response of people vaccinated and that of people who have been infected with COVID-19.
These are things we don’t have a lot of data on right now, and since we’re going to study a very large number of people, we’re probably going to be able to identify certain trends or certain information.
, explains Sylvie Trottier.
Participants must live in the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.
Photo: Radio-Canada
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Better preparation
Even if the worst of the crisis seems to be behind us, Sylvie Trottier and her team still consider the holding of such a study relevant. It is very important to study, even if we realize [avec] public health measures and the vaccine that the infection looks completely controlled, because it is believed that the problem, the virus will stay with us for a long time. So, we really have an interest in knowing him better in order to try to protect ourselves better.
The research team wants to recruit all its candidates by the end of August. Those wishing to participate must be of legal age and reside in the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.
They can contact the CHAPTER de Québec to indicate their interest at 418 525-4444 or by email at [email protected] (New window).
With information from Nicole Germain
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