Occupational risks for infection with influenza A and B: a national case-control study covering 1 July 2006-31 December 2019.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether crowded workplaces, sharing surfaces and exposure to infections were factors associated with a positive test for influenza virus. METHODS: We studied 11 300 cases with a positive test for influenza A and 3671 cases of influenza B from Swedish registry of communicable diseases. Six controls for each case were selected from the population registry, with each control being assigned the index date of their corresponding case. We linked job histories to job-exposure matrices (JEMs), to assess different transmission dimensions of influenza and risks for different occupations compared with occupations that the JEM classifies as low exposed. We used adjusted conditional logistic analyses to estimate the ORs for influenza with 95% CI. RESULTS: The highest odds were for influenza were: regular contact with infected patients (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.54 to 1.73); never maintained social distance (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.43 to 1.59); frequently sharing materials/surfaces with the general public (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.48); close physical proximity (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.45 to 1.62) and high exposure to diseases or infections (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.44 to 1.64). There were small differences between influenza A and influenza B. The five occupations with the highest odds as compared with low exposed occupations were: primary care physicians, protective service workers, elementary workers, medical and laboratory technicians, and taxi drivers. CONCLUSIONS: Contact with infected patients, low social distance and sharing surfaces are dimensions that increase risk for influenza A and B. Further safety measures are needed to diminish viral transmission in these contexts.

Work-related SARS-CoV2 and Covid19

ObjectiveTo map the risk of work-related SARS-CoV-2 across occupations and pandemic waves and investigate its impact on morbidity and partner-risk.MethodsThe cohort includes 2,4 million employees aged 20–69 with follow-up from 2020 through 2021. During this period, 261,203 employees had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test and 4416 were admitted to hospital with Covid-19 (HA). At-risk occupations defined at the 4-digit DISCO-08 level were identified using a reference population of mainly office-workers defined a priory by a job-exposure matrix (JEM). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and effect modification by pandemic wave were computed by Poisson regression. We adjusted for demographic, social and health characteristics including household size, completed Covid-19 vaccination and occupation-specific frequency of testing.ResultsIn addition to eight specific occupations in the healthcare sector, we found increased risk of Covid-19 related HA in bus drivers, kindergarten teachers, domestic helpers, and operators in food production (IRR from 1.5–3) and modestly increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in numerous occupations outside the healthcare sector including police and security guards, supermarket attendants, receptionists, cooks, and waiters. After the first year of the pandemic, the risk fell to background levels among healthcare workers but not in other occupations. The risk of Covid-19 related HA was increased in spouses with partners in high-risk occupations (IRR 1.54, 95% CI 1.1–2.2). Employees born in low-income countries and male employees from Eastern Europe more often worked in at-risk occupations. Being foreign-born modified the risk of PCR test positivity, primarily because of higher risk among men born in Eastern Europe working in at-risk occupations (IRR 2.39, 95% CI 2.09–2.72 versus IRR 1.19 (95% CI 1.14–1.23) in native-born men).ConclusionSARS-Cov2 transmission at the workplace was common during the Covid-pandemic in spite of temporary lock-downs which emphasizes the need for improved safety measures during future epidemics.

Occupational risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission in Denmark 2020-2021: a follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE: Mounting evidence indicates increased risk of COVID-19 among healthcare personnel, but the evidence on risks in other occupations is limited. In this study, we quantify the occupational risk of COVID-19-related hospital admission in Denmark during 2020-2021. METHODS: The source population included 2.4 million employees age 20-69 years. All information was retrieved from public registers. The risk of COVID-19 related hospital admission was examined in 155 occupations with at least 2000 employees (at-risk, N=1 620 231) referenced to a group of mainly office workers defined by a COVID-19 job exposure matrix (N=369 341). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were computed by Poisson regression. RESULTS: During 186 million person-weeks of follow-up, we observed 2944 COVID-19 related hospital admissions in at-risk occupations and 559 in referents. Adjusted risk of such admission was elevated in several occupations within healthcare (including health care assistants, nurses, medical practitioners and laboratory technicians but not physiotherapists or midwives), social care (daycare assistants for children aged 4-7, and nursing aides in institutions and private homes, but not family daycare workers) and transportation (bus drivers, but not lorry drivers). Most IRR in these at-risk occupations were in the range of 1.5-3. Employees in education, retail sales and various service occupations seemed not to be at risk. CONCLUSION: Employees in several occupations within and outside healthcare are at substantially increased risk of COVID-19. There is a need to revisit safety measures and precautions to mitigate viral transmission in the workplace during the current and forthcoming pandemics.

COVID-19 as an occupational disease.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 permeates all aspects of society worldwide. Initial medical reports and media coverage have increased awareness of the risk imposed on healthcare workers in particular, during this pandemic. However, the health implications of COVID-19 for the global workforce are multifaceted and complex, warranting careful reflection and consideration to mitigate the adverse effects on workers worldwide. Accordingly, our review offers a framework for considering this topic, highlighting key issues, with the aim to prompt and inform action, including research, to minimize the occupational hazards imposed by this ongoing challenge. We address respiratory disease as a primary concern, while recognizing the multisystem spectrum of COVID-19-related disease and how clinical aspects are interwoven with broader socioeconomic forces.