Integrating an Ethics Advisory Committee Into Public Health Response: A Case Study of COVID-19, Infection Prevention and Control, and Essential Work in the United States

A lack of infection prevention and control protections for essential industries in the United States led to increased risk and incidence of COVID-19 among essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the nation deems an industry essential during a disease outbreak, an ethical obligation exists to safeguard the health of workers who are at increased risk of being exposed to disease. The Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center began work to rapidly develop and disseminate infection prevention and control guidance for essential industries, such as meat processing. The Global Center for Health Security established an ethics advisory committee to support COVID-19 response efforts. The ethics advisory committee supported the development of guidance on infection prevention and control to promote justice, reciprocity, health, safety, and equity for workers in the meat processing industry. Our experience highlighted the fundamental role of ethical analysis in public health response efforts, but ethical analysis in this case required an interdisciplinary approach, including the need for effective community-relevant solutions. The integration of an ethics committee into public health emergency response efforts can address ethical concerns for workers in industries that must remain operational during public health emergencies.