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The initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was substantially greater among healthcare workers and other "essential" occupations involving close physical contact, reports a paper in the September
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
"Healthcare, teaching, and service sector workers categorized as essential, exhibited higher infection rates compared to non-essential workers, particularly during the early wave of the pandemic," according to the new research, led by Jonas Månsson, MD, of Örebro University Hospital, Sweden.
The researchers analyzed patterns of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization in occupational groups with varying work conditions and exposures. The study included 22,095 working adults in Örebro County who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from February 2020 through August 2022, representing three waves of COVID-19. Of these, 737 individuals were hospitalized, 103 were admitted to the ICU, and 39 died.
Across all three waves, 81% of confirmed infections occurred in occupations requiring close contact with others. Essential workers accounted for 52% of cases—most commonly healthcare workers, followed by teachers and service sector workers.
Essential workers remained at higher risk of infection through all three COVID-19 waves. The difference was greatest in the first wave, likely reflecting limited SARS-CoV-2 testing capacity during that time.
Essential workers were also at higher risk of hospitalization—during the first wave, relative likelihood of hospital admission was 61% higher compared to non-essential workers. This risk decreased in the second and third waves, likely reflecting the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines. Because of the relatively small number of deaths, mortality risk could not be compared between occupational groups.
The study is one of the few to compare the impact of COVID-19 across occupational groups, particularly in successive waves of the pandemic. In three waves included in the study, risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was higher for healthcare and other close-proximity workers. Dr. Månsson and coauthors conclude: "These disparities in infection and hospitalization rates underscore the necessity for an intensified focus on preventive/protective measures early in any future pandemic, especially among essential workers."