COVID-19 test positivity by occupation using the Delphi US COVID-19 trends and impact survey, September-November 2020.

BACKGROUND: The potential for work to be a risk factor for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was recognized early in the pandemic based on the likelihood of work-related differences in exposures to COVID-19 in different occupations. Due to intense demands of the pandemic, implementation of recommendations to collect information on occupation in relation to COVID-19 has been uneven across the United States. The objective of this study was to investigate COVID-19 test positivity by occupation. METHODS: We analyzed data collected from September 8 to November 30, 2020, by the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon University US COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey, offered daily to a random sample of US-based Facebook users aged 18 years or older, who were invited via a banner in their news feed. Our focus was ever testing positive for COVID-19 in respondents working outside the home for pay in the past 4 weeks. RESULTS: The major occupational groups of "Production", "Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance," "Construction and extraction," "Healthcare support," and "Food preparation and serving" had the five highest test positivity percentages (16.7%-14.4%). Highest detailed occupational categories (28.6%-19.1%) were "Massage therapist," "Food processing worker," "Bailiff, correctional officer, or jailer," "Funeral service worker," "First-line supervisor of production and operating workers," and "Nursing assistant or psychiatric aide." Differences in test positivity by occupation remained after adjustment for age, gender, and pre-existing medical conditions. CONCLUSION: Information on differences in test positivity by occupation can aid targeting of messaging for vaccination and testing and mitigation strategies for the current and future respiratory infection epidemics and pandemics. These results, obtained before availability of COVID-19 vaccines, can form a basis for comparison to evaluate impacts of vaccination and subsequent emergence of viral variants.

Estimates of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in major occupational groups and detailed occupational categories in the United States, April-May 2021.

BACKGROUND: While other studies have reported estimates of COVID-19 vaccine uptake by broad occupational group, little is known about vaccine uptake by detailed occupational category. METHODS: Data on COVID-19 vaccination were provided by US adults ages ≥18 years old who responded to the Facebook/Delphi Group COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey (Delphi US CTIS) in April-May 2021, reported working for pay in the past 4 weeks, and answered questions about their COVID-19 vaccine status. Percentages of occupational groups reporting having had at least one COVID-19 vaccination were weighted to resemble the US general population and calculated for 23 major occupational groups and 120 detailed occupational categories in 15 major groups. RESULTS: COVID-19 vaccine uptake for all 828,401 working adult respondents was 73.6%. Uptake varied considerably across the 23 major occupational groups, from 45.7% for Construction and Extraction to 87.9% for Education, Training, and Library. Percentage vaccinated was also very low for Installation, Maintenance, and Repair at 52.1% and Farming, Fishing, and Forestry at 53.9%. Among the 120 detailed occupational categories, the highest percentage vaccinated was 93.9% for Postsecondary Teacher and the three lowest values were 39.1% for Any Extraction Worker in Oil, Gas, Mining, or Quarrying; 40.1% for Vehicle or Mobile Equipment Mechanic, Installer, or Repairer; and 42.0% for Any Construction Trades Worker. CONCLUSION: Low vaccination percentages were seen in many US occupations by the end of May 2021, early in the period of widespread availability of vaccines for adults. These findings could help inform the deployment of occupation-specific vaccinepromotion activities during future viral epidemics and pandemics.