COVID-19: Mink Culling / Telework's Impact

By Kelly Young

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

Have a look at some of the latest developments in COVID-19:

Mink culling: Denmark announced that it would kill its entire population of farmed minks after reports that a SARS-CoV-2 mutation had jumped from minks to humans — and that the mutation could potentially limit a vaccine's effectiveness — the New York Times reports. Minks have been infected in some U.S. states as well.

Telework's impact: A study in MMWR highlights the potential benefit of working from home, if possible, during the pandemic. Researchers studied symptomatic U.S. adults who presented for SARS-CoV-2 testing in an outpatient setting in July. Roughly 150 who tested positive were compared with 160 who tested negative. Among those who tested negative, 53% said they worked from home or teleworked at least part-time, versus 35% of those who tested positive. Of note, those who teleworked were more likely to be non-Hispanic white, to have college degrees, and to have health insurance. The authors write: "Providing the option to work from home or telework when possible, is an important consideration for reducing the risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In industries where telework options are not available, worker safety measures should continue to be scaled up to reduce possible worksite exposures."