Ewan Macdonald in the context of his role as Chair of the UK Academic forum for Health and Work responded to colleagues and set up an occupational health support group hosted by Society of Occupational Medicine which in turn has led to setting up establishment of a PPE subcommittee. Ewan Macdonald with others challenged initial guidance issued by UK government for health care workers, on the grounds of its inadequacy and incompetence, and subsequent guidance by Public Health England (PHE) then improved. He is a member of the PPE group and supported the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) in Edinburgh which has recommended the use of face coverings in public areas.

The Occupational Health Support Group also supported the development of an academic group which has now developed risk estimates for vulnerability to COVID-19 and developed the concept of "COVID Age“.

Drushca Lalloo, Munna Roy and Ewan Macdonald of the HWLG wrote the Return to Work guidelines for health professionals which was launched by the Society of Occupational Medicine on 18 May 2020.

Ewan Macdonald is co-investigator of an IOM led funded study measuring the COVID virus in clinical settings

Return to Work Guide For health professionals advising patients and employers

Returning to the Workplace After Lockdown - A Toolkit


First published: 19 May 2020