www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/workplace-exposures-tied-higher-risk-long-covid
Workplace exposures tied to higher risk of long COVID
Laine Bergeson
27 minutes ago.
COVID-19
The findings, published in BMJ Occupational & Environmental Medicine, suggest that the primary work-related drivers of increased long COVID risk were irregular or limited use of respirators, close contact with coworkers and/or the public, inability to physical distance, and use of public transportation to commute to work.
44% higher odds of long COVID with high-risk jobs
For the study, European researchers analyzed data from the COVICAT cohort, which followed up on adults in Catalonia, Spain, from 2020 through 2023. Among 2,054 employed adults ages 40 to 69 with a previously confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and complete occupational information, nearly one in four (23.7%) developed long COVID, defined as having at least one symptom persisting three months or more after infection.
While several non–work-related factors were associated with higher long-COVID risk, including female sex, obesity, multiple underlying conditions, and more severe or repeated infections, occupation emerged as a strong and independent determinant of risk.
Workers in jobs classified as high risk for COVID exposure had a 44% higher likelihood of developing long COVID than those in low-risk occupations. Some specific workplace conditions were tied to amplified risk: working onsite during the pandemic (57% higher risk than telework), inconsistent use of high-filtration respirators (52% higher risk), and regularly commuting by public transportation (58%).
The highest-risk occupations included health care and social workers, teachers, retail workers, transport workers, and security staff. These groups often remained in close contact with others throughout the pandemic.
Targeted measures could help reduce burden
Vaccination before infection and first infection during the Omicron-dominant pandemic period were both associated with substantially lower long-COVID risk, as was older age.
The findings could be used to inform future policy and prevention strategies. “Because occupational risk factors are modifiable, our findings mean that much of the associated Long-COVID burden could be avoided with targeted measures,” study coauthor Manolis Kogevinas, of the ISGlobal Barcelona Institute for Global Health, PhD, said in a press release.
The authors also call for broader recognition of long COVID as an occupational disease.
Workplace exposures tied to higher risk of long COVID
Laine Bergeson
27 minutes ago.
COVID-19
Work-related factors may increase the risk of developing long COVID, according to a new population-based study from Spain.The findings, published in BMJ Occupational & Environmental Medicine, suggest that the primary work-related drivers of increased long COVID risk were irregular or limited use of respirators, close contact with coworkers and/or the public, inability to physical distance, and use of public transportation to commute to work.
44% higher odds of long COVID with high-risk jobs
For the study, European researchers analyzed data from the COVICAT cohort, which followed up on adults in Catalonia, Spain, from 2020 through 2023. Among 2,054 employed adults ages 40 to 69 with a previously confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and complete occupational information, nearly one in four (23.7%) developed long COVID, defined as having at least one symptom persisting three months or more after infection.
While several non–work-related factors were associated with higher long-COVID risk, including female sex, obesity, multiple underlying conditions, and more severe or repeated infections, occupation emerged as a strong and independent determinant of risk.
Workers in jobs classified as high risk for COVID exposure had a 44% higher likelihood of developing long COVID than those in low-risk occupations. Some specific workplace conditions were tied to amplified risk: working onsite during the pandemic (57% higher risk than telework), inconsistent use of high-filtration respirators (52% higher risk), and regularly commuting by public transportation (58%).
The highest-risk occupations included health care and social workers, teachers, retail workers, transport workers, and security staff. These groups often remained in close contact with others throughout the pandemic.
Targeted measures could help reduce burden
Vaccination before infection and first infection during the Omicron-dominant pandemic period were both associated with substantially lower long-COVID risk, as was older age.
The findings could be used to inform future policy and prevention strategies. “Because occupational risk factors are modifiable, our findings mean that much of the associated Long-COVID burden could be avoided with targeted measures,” study coauthor Manolis Kogevinas, of the ISGlobal Barcelona Institute for Global Health, PhD, said in a press release.
The authors also call for broader recognition of long COVID as an occupational disease.