NIH launches educational site to train high-risk occupations during COVID-19 crisis

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to launch an education-packed website in the days ahead to train high-risk occupations still working amidst the outbreak of COVID-19.

The training is meant to help workers, such as hospital employees, food processing and delivery workers, emergency first responders, or other workers at risk of exposure, protect themselves from danger. Money for this effort will be pulled from the $8.3 billion in emergency funding currently allocated to certain federal agencies for response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“These men and women are so dedicated and as they work so hard to serve and protect the public during this COVID-19 pandemic, I want to make sure they know how to protect their own health too,” Joseph Hughes, leader of the National Institute of Environmental Sciences Worker Training Program, said. “We don’t need them getting sick, or taking the virus back to their families or their communities.”

That institute, a division of the NIH, will lead the initiative and award grants for training, along with help develop educational resources for those frequently exposed to dangerous pathogens, contaminated materials, or infected people. Safety trainers and virtual safety advisors will supplement a full-fledged virtual safety training delivery platform.