Integrative Effects between a Bubble and Seal Program and Workers’ Compliance to Health Advice on Successful COVID-19 Transmission Control in a Factory in Southern Thailand

Abstract

Applying health measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission caused disruption of businesses. A practical plan to balance public health and business sustainability during the pandemic was needed. Herein, we describe a “Bubble and Seal” (B&S) program implemented in a frozen seafood factory in southern Thailand. We enrolled 1539 workers who lived in the factory dormitories. First, the workers who had a high fatality risk were triaged by RT-PCR tests, quarantined and treated if they had COVID-19. Newly diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 workers underwent the same practices. The non-quarantined workers were regulated to work and live in their groups without contact across the groups. Workers’ personal hygiene and preventive measures were strongly stressed. Between the 6th and 9th weeks of the program, the post-COVID-19 infection status (PCIS) of all participants was evaluated by mass COVID-19 antibody or RT-PCR tests. Finally, 91.8% of the workers showed positive PCIS, which was above the number required for program exit. Although no workers had received a vaccination, there was only one case of severe COVID-19 pneumonia, and no evidence of COVID-19 spreading to the surrounding communities. Implementation of the B&S program and workers’ adherence to health advice was the key to this success.