SARS-CoV-2 infection in occupational settings in Catalonia

Abstract

BACKGROUND // The aim of this paper was to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence regarding the occupation in Catalonia, globally and in the different waves of the pandemic.

METHODS // We performed a retrospective cohort study. We included all people between 16 and 65 years old with an occupation identified from the sick leave recorded in the primary care electronic health records of the Institut Català de la Salut (ICS) (total n=2,199,745 people). The study period was from March 1st, 2020 to September 16th, 2021.

RESULTS // Healthcare workers had the highest incidence, with an age and sex adjusted cumulative rate of 27.7% [95% CI: 27.3%-28.1%]: 29.4% in nursing assistants, 27.3% in medical professions and 26.3% in nursing professionals, followed by the elementary occupations group with an adjusted incidence of 16.9% [95% CI: 16.7%-17%], such as the agricultural laborers (23% [95% CI: 21%-25.1%]) and rural occupations (19.1% [95% CI: 18.3%-19.8%) —especially during the 2020 summer period—, the domestic employees (20.5% [95% CI: 18.9%-22.2%]) and cleaning professionals (17.5% [95% CI: 17.2%-17.9%]).

CONCLUSIONS // Healthcare workers are the hardest hit during the pandemic. On the other hand, the less qualified professions have high incidences, highlighting the different inequities in access to telework, working conditions and other social determinants of health.