Table 1.

Worker vulnerability and susceptibility in the context of COVID‐19

Vulnerable workers	Susceptible workers
Definition: Workers at higher risk for Covid‐19 due to greater likelihood of higher exposure	Definition: Workers at higher risk for COVID‐19 (or worse outcomes ) at any level of exposure
Factors:	Factors:
Hazardous work characteristics:	Demographic characteristics:
Exposure to infected aerosols (especially amongst essential workers or those unable to work from home) 26 Lack of appropriate or properly fitted personal protective equipment (PPE), or occupational safety training Densely populated, enclosed, or poorly ventilated workplaces 27 ; difficulty distancing from VLAs Prolonged face‐to‐face or physical contact or where social distancing cannot be practiced	Elderly Male sex
	Co‐morbidities:
	Obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, COPD, and immunosuppression
	Co‐exposures:
	Smoking/environmental tobacco smoke exposure Residence or work in high particulate air pollutant environments Limited access to healthy foods and physical activity
Cross‐cutting factors that may confer or compound both vulnerability and susceptibility
Enhance Exposure to SARS‐CoV‐2:
Residence in densely populated neighborhoods Residence in homes that are overcrowded, multigenerational or without access to running water Dependence on mass or shared (crowded) transportation
Predispose to poorer health outcomes:
Low socioeconomic status/underprivilege Language and/or communication barriers Limited access to paid sick leave and healthcare

Note: These categories are not mutually exclusive (an individual may have both), and “cross‐cutting” characteristics may contribute to both.

Abbreviations: COVID‐19, coronavirus disease‐2019; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; SARS‐CoV‐2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; VLAs, virus‐laden aerosols.

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