Abstract
Background
Surveillance systems lack detailed occupational exposure information from workers with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health partnered with six states to collect information from adults diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection (either COVID-19 or asymptomatic infection) who worked in person (outside the home) in non-healthcare settings during the two weeks prior to illness onset.
Methods
The survey captured demographic, medical, occupational characteristics, and work- and non-work-related risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Reported close contact with a person known or suspected to have COVID-19 was categorized by setting as: exposure at work, exposure outside of work only, or no known exposure/didn’t know if they had exposures. Frequencies and percentages of exposure types are compared by respondent characteristics and risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Results
Of 1,111 qualified respondents, 19.4% reported exposure at work, 23.4% reported exposure outside of work only, and 57.2% reported no known exposure/didn’t know if they had exposures. Workers in protective service occupations (48.8%) and public administration industries (35.6%) reported exposure at work most often. Over a third (33.7%) of respondents who experienced close contact with ≥10 coworkers per day and 28.8% of respondents who experienced close contact with ≥10 customers/clients per day reported exposures at work.
Conclusions
Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 at work was common among respondents. Examining differences in exposures among different groups of workers can help identify populations with the greatest need for prevention interventions. The benefits of recording employment characteristics as standard demographic information will remain relevant as new and reemerging public health issues occur.
Keywords: occupational exposure, COVID-19 surveillance, SARS-CoV-2 infection
Contributor Information
Hannah Free, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sara E Luckhaupt, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rachael M Billock, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Matthew R Groenewold, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sherry Burrer, Emergency Preparedness and Response Office, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Marie Haring Sweeney, Division of Field Studies and Engineering, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jessie Wong, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA.
Kathryn Gibb, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA.
Andrea Rodriguez, Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA.
Ximena Vergara, Heluna Health, City of Industry, CA.
Kristin Cummings, California Department of Public Health.
Antionette Lavender, Georgia Department of Public Health.
Gabriel Argueta, Georgia Department of Public Health.
Hannah Leigh Crawford, Georgia Department of Public Health.
Kimberly Erukunuapor, Georgia Department of Public Health.
Nicole D Karlsson, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Karla Armenti, University of New Hampshire.
Hannah Thomas, New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
Kim Gaetz, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Gialana Dang, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services; Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Laurel Harduar-Morano, Pennsylvania Department of Health; Division of State and Local Readiness, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Komi Modji, Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Supplementary Material
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