Measuring Work-related Risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Comparison of COVID-19 Incidence by Occupation and Industry—Wisconsin, September 2020 to May 2021

Abstract

Background Work-related exposures play an important role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, yet few studies have measured the risk of COVID-19 across occupations and industries. Methods During September 2020 – May 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services collected occupation and industry data as part of routine COVID-19 case investigations. Adults aged 18-64 years with confirmed or probable COVID-19 in Wisconsin were assigned standardized occupation and industry codes. Cumulative incidence rates were weighted for non-response and calculated using full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce denominators from the 2020 American Community Survey. Results An estimated 11.6% of workers (347,013 of 2.98 million) in Wisconsin, ages 18-64 years, had COVID-19 from September 2020 to May 2021. The highest incidence by occupation (per 100 full-time equivalents) occurred among personal care and services workers (22.4), healthcare practitioners and support staff (20.7), and protective services workers (20.7). High risk sub-groups included nursing assistants and personal care aides (28.8), childcare workers (25.8), food and beverage service workers (25.3), personal appearance workers (24.4), and law enforcement workers (24.1). By industry, incidence was highest in healthcare (18.6); the highest risk sub-sectors were nursing care facilities (30.5) and warehousing (28.5). Conclusions This analysis represents one of the most complete examinations to date of COVID-19 incidence by occupation and industry. Our approach demonstrates the value of standardized occupational data collection by public health, and may be a model for improved occupational surveillance elsewhere. Workers at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure may benefit from targeted workplace COVID-19 vaccination and mitigation efforts.

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

“…Many workers in these occupations and industries must work in close proximity to customers, clients, and coworkers, 53 likely increasing their risk for occupational exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2. These findings are broadly consistent with those of other studies that have found evidence for increased risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among workers in occupation and industry subgroups included in our high‐risk groups 38,43,44,54 …”

“…These findings are broadly consistent with those of other studies that have found evidence for increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among workers in occupation and industry subgroups included in our high-risk groups. 38,43,44,54 The overrepresentation of some sociodemographic groups in select occupations and industries is associated with inequities in partially overlaps with the transportation and material moving occupational group, which was not found to have an elevated PMR. Leisure and hospitality industries include accommodation, food services, entertainment, and so forth.…”

“…However, incomplete ascertainment of cases' occupation and industry limits the validity of rates and therefore of any relative risk estimates. One recent population‐based study assessed the relative risk of COVID‐19 by occupation and industry in Wisconsin 43 . A recently published case‐control study of some 86,000 US blood donors also calculated the relative odds of SARS‐CoV‐2 seropositivity by occupation, but its generalizability is limited to the population of blood donors 44 .…”

“…One recent population-based study assessed the relative risk of COVID-19 by occupation and industry in Wisconsin. 43 A recently published case-control study of some 86,000 US blood donors also calculated the relative odds of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity by occupation, but its generalizability is limited to the population of blood donors. 44 To our knowledge, no other multistate, population-based study of the relative risk of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by occupation or industry from the United States has yet been published.…”

Prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among US blood donors by industry, May–December 2021

“…A higher risk was also found among healthcare workers and other public‐facing worker groups 5,8,10 . Individual states have published data on work‐related incidence of COVID‐19, 11,12 and a national analysis reported seroprevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 by occupation 13 . To date, only one national assessment of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection prevalence by industry based on self‐report has been completed 5 .…”