The Covid-19 Airborne Transmission Alliance (CATA) and the Covid-19 Inquiry: Interview with David Osborn

Summary

In this interview, David Osborn, chartered occupational safety and health practitioner and member of the Covid-19 Airborne Transmission Alliance (CATA), speaks to Lotty Tizzard, Digital Content Manager at Patient Safety Learning, about how CATA was established during the pandemic to advocate for adequate respiratory protection for NHS employees. 

David explains how CATA advocated for the government and heath service to recognise that Covid-19 is passed on by aerosol transmission (through microscopic particles in the air). He also outlines why surgical masks do not adequately protect people against catching airborne viruses and describes how inadequate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) contributed to thousands of NHS staff catching Covid-19 at work. As a result, many healthcare workers died and a large number still live with the ongoing symptoms of Long Covid.

David describes CATA's involvement as a Core Participant in the Covid-19 Inquiry and outlines what he hopes will be done to ensure the UK is better prepared for future pandemics.

Patient Safety Learning is also a member of CATA.

Content

Clarification

David wishes to clarify a point raised in the interview: 

"When talking about the “IPC Cell” I said that they 'didn’t produce minutes'. In fact, notes or minutes were taken at all IPC Cell meetings. The point I was making is that they were not published ('produced' in the sense of being released into the public domain), when the minutes of most other groups such as SAGE and NERVTAG were published.

The few IPC Cell minutes that have trickled into the public domain have mostly been as a result of Freedom of Information requests by a colleague and a few that I have managed to obtain myself. In some cases, public authorities have taken around 18 months to disclose documents, and it has required the intervention of the Information Commissioner's Office. I anticipate that more minutes will be disclosed for public scrutiny as time goes on."

You can read more about CATA and the Covid-19 Inquiry in David's blogs and presentations on the hub:

• Respiratory protective equipment: An unequal solution for healthcare workers? A blog by David Osborn
• Healthcare workers with Long Covid: Group litigation – a blog from David Osborn
• Covid-19 : A risk assessment too far? A blog by David Osborn
• CATA and the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry: Presentation from David Osborn

Join the conversation

Were you working in health and social care during the pandemic? We'd like to hear about your experience of health and safety at work.

• Were you provided with adequate PPE to carry out your job safely?
• Did you catch Covid-19 while at work?

You can join the conversation by commenting below (you'll need to sign up first) or get in touch with us directly by emailing [email protected]

About the Author

David Osborn is a chartered occupational safety and health practitioner, having been in practice for 30 years. He has a background in biochemistry, microbiology, epidemiology and emergency planning. Any blogs or letters that David writes to Government departments, Agencies or the NHS are written entirely on a personal and individual basis and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organisations to which he is affiliated.