А case of mass vaccination against a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at a large construction site
Authors: Grebenyuk A. N. , Shibalov P. V. , Daraeva B. B. , Nikilchuk V. I. 
Published: June 2023

Relevance. The pandemic of new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) put at risk the largest investment project of the Amur Gas Processing Plant construction. To mitigate the risk of non-compliance with the construction plan, anti-epidemic, therapeutic and preventive measures were required, with vaccination being most effective.

The objective is to analyze the experience of COVID-19 mass vaccination set-up and implementation among workers engaged in the construction of the Amur Gas Processing Plant (AGPP).

Methodology. The object of the study is the AGPP project, which enrolled 32,800 ± 1,400 shift workers coming daily to the construction site from April to August 2021. Both Russian nationals foreigners from neighbouring and far away countries worked at the site. Construction personnel was rotated, with work periods lasting from 2 to 6 months each, and stayed in hostels on the temporary construction site premisess. Meals was served at local canteens. Mass vaccination of workers was carried out with the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) and Sputnik Light vaccines from 19.04.2021 to 17.10.2021, then until the end of the year, with vaccination of the newly arrived workforce going on as usual. The vaccines were administered intramuscularly within label. Methods of historical analysis and comparison, logical analysis, and expert assessments were used to analyze the effectiveness of mass vaccination. Statistical processing of quantitative indicators was carried out using generally accepted methods of statistical analysis.

Results and discussion. The results of a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 mass vaccination set-up and implementation among workers engaged in the AGPZ construction project are presented. At preparation stage the number of workers to be vaccinated and the number of vaccination teams was identified, medical personnel was trained regarding storage, transportation and use of COVID-19 vaccines rules, and Gam-COVID-Vac and Sputnik Light vaccines were purchased and delivered to the infectious diseases hospital located directly at the AGPP construction site. Stage 1 was launched on 19.04.2021 and included mass vaccination of employed Russian nationals performed at the hospital outpatient care department allowing to vaccinate 3926 people with Gam-COVID-Vac. Stage 2 began on 28.06.2021 to provide the same vaccine to 8954 foreign workers from the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries. The vaccination unit was located in a temporary facility housed in a standalone building on the hospital premises. Stage 3 spanned from 24.07.2021 to 22.08.2021 to vaccinate foreign workers from far away countries. Mobile vaccination stations were deployed directly within the temporary construction camps allowing to administer the Sputnik Lite vaccine to 16175 people. In addition, 1,220 foreign workers arriving at the AGPP site from August to December 2021 were vaccinated with the same vaccine in the hospital vaccination room immediately upon arrival at the construction site. Thus, from 19.04 to 31.12.2021 total 1,034 employees from the Russian Federation and EAEU received the first component of Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine and 1,052 employees received the second component. During the same period, 17,395 workers from far away countries received Sputnik Lite vaccine.

Conclusion. Mass vaccination carried out at the project in 2021 prevented the spread of COVID-19 among workers, minimized the number of patients with the new coronavirus infection, and provided the necessary manpower to complete the construction of the AGPP within the planned time frame.