Were immigrants on the frontline during the lockdown? Evidence from France

Abstract

In France, immigrants’ excess of mortality was higher than natives’ during the Spring 2020 lockdown. Were immigrants in frontline jobs and more exposed to Covid-19? Based on a nationally representative survey, we model the probability to work in a frontline job according to migratory status, taking sociodemographic and occupational characteristics into account. Compared to natives (Metropolitan France), being an African immigrant was associated to higher probability to work in a frontline job [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.82 (1.23–2.71)], as well as being born in French Overseas Departments [aOR = 1.64 (1.23–2.18)], reflecting racial division of work and higher Sars-Cov-2 exposure of immigrant and minority populations.

Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the mortality profiles of the foreign-born in France during the first pandemic wave

“…Earlier ages at death translate into more years of life lost and to dramatic consequences on close family members, particularly children. Given their occupational profiles in essential sectors ( Gosselin et al, 2021 ), migrants in these groups were frequently unable to work remotely during the pandemic, had jobs that often exposed them to infection without providing adequate protection, and relied on public transportation for commuting ( Gosselin et al, 2022 ). Moreover, they tended to live in crowded households and neighbourhoods as pointed out above, all factors that increase the risk of infection.…”

“…Measures aiming to protect the population, such as lockdowns, led to a polarization in exposure to infection, with some segments of the population significantly exposed, especially health care and frontline essential workers, and others less so – those at home, teleworking, or benefiting from temporary wage subsidies. Immigrants were disproportionately represented among the first group ( Gosselin et al, 2021 ), and, according to the national institute of statistics (INSEE), deaths among the foreign-born population increased during the first wave by 48% compared with 2019, versus 22% among the native-born population ( Papon and Robert-Bobée, 2020 ; INSEE, 2021 ).…”

Socio-Demographic Composition and Potential Occupational Exposure to SARS-CoV2 under Routine Working Conditions among Key Workers in France

“…In the spring of 2020, about 22% of the active population in France could not be locked down because of the essential nature of their work activity, according to the data that was collected before the pandemic and based on the definition of key workers in use in the country. This is in line with other estimates of the share of key workers during the first lockdown in France [19,24], and close to the reported proportion in Italy (25%) [27]. Higher figures were reported in the US (43%) [7], in the UK (33%) [28], and in Europe as a whole (31%) [29].…”

“…The Center for Economic and Policy Research provided a similar demographic profile of key workers in the US, except for an over-representation of women in essential services, especially healthcare, child care, and social services [30]. In a French study, women, immigrants, and people who were born in French overseas departments, as well as individuals with lower labor market protection (part-time, no contract, lower-paid) were found to be more likely to work in a frontline job [19]. In Europe as a whole, non-European immigrants were found to be overrepresented among key workers, particularly in low-skilled key occupations (e.g., personal care workers in health service, transport and storage laborers, drivers, food processing workers) [29].…”

“…While we know already that the racial division of work translated into a higher probability of working in jobs that were deemed to be essential among immigrant and minority populations [19], little is known in France about the diversity of sociodemographic profiles among workers who continued to work in person during the first lockdown and their work-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2.…”