Excess risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among in‐person nonhealthcare workers in six states, September 2020–June 2021

BackgroundWorking outside the home put some workers at risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) exposure and might partly explain elevated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) mortality rates in the first months of the pandemic in certain groups of Massachusetts workers. To further investigate this premise, we examined COVID‐19 mortality among Massachusetts workers, with a specific focus on telework ability based on occupation.MethodsCOVID‐19‐associated deaths between January 1 and December 31, 2020 among Massachusetts residents aged 18–64 years were analyzed. Deaths were categorized into occupation‐based quadrants (Q) of telework ability. Age‐adjusted rates were calculated by key demographics, industry, occupation, and telework quadrant using American Community Survey workforce estimates as denominators. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals comparing rates for quadrants with workers unlikely able to telework (Q2, Q3, Q4) to that among those likely able to telework (Q1) were calculated.ResultsThe overall age‐adjusted COVID‐19‐associated mortality rate was 26.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Workers who were male, Black non‐Hispanic, Hispanic, born outside the US, and with lower than a high school education level experienced the highest rates among their respective demographic groups. The rate varied by industry, occupation and telework quadrant. RRs comparing Q2, Q3, and Q4 to Q1 were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.8−1.2), 3.2 (95% CI: 2.6−3.8) and 2.5 (95% CI: 2.0−3.0), respectively.ConclusionFindings suggest a positive association between working on‐site and COVID‐19‐associated mortality. Work‐related factors likely contributed to COVID‐19 among Massachusetts workers and should be considered in future studies of COVID‐19 and similar diseases.

COVID‐19 mortality among Massachusetts workers and the association with telework ability, 2020

Fitzsimmons,

Hood,

Grattan

et al. 2024

SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among Colorado adults working outside the home: Occupation, race and ethnicity and mask use

Torok,

White,

Jervis

et al. 2024

ObjectivesThe workplace is an important setting for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) exposure and transmission. Using data from a large case–control study in Colorado during 2021 and 2022, we aimed to evaluate working outside the home and SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, the racial and ethnic distribution of workers in occupations associated with infection, and workplace face mask use.MethodsCases were Colorado adults with a positive SARS‐CoV‐2 test by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) reported to Colorado's COVID‐19 surveillance system selected from surveillance data ≤12 days after their specimen collection date. Control participants were randomly selected adult Coloradans with a RT‐PCR‐confirmed negative SARS‐CoV‐2 test result reported to the same surveillance system.ResultsWorking outside the home was associated with infection (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–1.54). Among participants working outside the home, “Food Preparation and Serving Related” (aOR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.80–3.06), “Transportation and Material Moving” (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.62–2.69), “Construction and Extraction” (aOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.36–2.59), “Protective Service” (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.15–2.24), and “Sales and Related” (aOR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.22–1.69) were occupational categories most strongly associated with infection. American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black, and Hispanic/Latino participants were more likely than others to work in occupational categories with the highest odds of infection (p < 0.05). Cases were less likely than controls to report always wearing a mask (31.9% vs. 41.5%) and wearing a KN95/N95/KF94 mask (16.8% vs. 27.2%) at work.ConclusionsThese findings emphasize the importance of occupation and workplace mask use in the COVID‐19 pandemic and its disproportionate racial/ethnic impact on workers.

Prevalence of COVID‐19 and Long COVID by Industry and Occupation: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2022

Silver,

Li,

Ford

et al. 2024

BackgroundWorkers in healthcare and other essential occupations had elevated risks for COVID‐19 infection early in the pandemic. No survey of U.S. workers to date has comprehensively assessed the prevalence of both COVID‐19 and Long COVID across industries and occupations (I&O) at a detailed level.MethodsBehavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 2022 from 39 states, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands were used to estimate prevalence of self‐reported history of COVID‐19 and Long COVID, as well as the prevalence of Long COVID among those reporting prior COVID‐19, by broad and detailed I&O. Adjusted prevalence ratios were used to compare outcome prevalence in each I&O to prevalence among all other workers combined.ResultsBy broad I&O, workers in healthcare, protective services, and education had elevated prevalences of COVID‐19. The prevalence of Long COVID was elevated in healthcare and protective service but not education workers. Detailed I&O with significantly elevated prevalences of COVID‐19 but not Long COVID included Dairy Product Manufacturing industry workers and subsets of mining workers. Both COVID‐19 and Long COVID were elevated among bartenders/drinking places and personal care and appearance workers. The prevalence of Long COVID was elevated among farmworkers who reported having had COVID‐19.ConclusionsIndustries and occupations with elevated levels of COVID‐19 or Long COVID in this study may warrant increased measures to prevent transmission of airborne respiratory viruses. Accommodations are a key component for supporting workers in all workplaces. This new information about the distribution of Long COVID by I&O suggests where employer understanding and implementation of tailored workplace supports and accommodations are most needed to support continued employment of affected workers.