Workplaces Most Affected by COVID-19 Outbreaks in California, January 2020-August 2021

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various sectors of the economy.
• Understanding the distribution of outbreaks across industries is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify industries with the highest burden of COVID-19 outbreaks in California.
• To analyze outbreak characteristics and case demographics by industry.

Main Methods:

• US census industry codes were assigned to COVID-19 outbreaks reported to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) between January 1, 2020, and August 31, 2021.
• Data on outbreak numbers, associated cases, and incidence levels were determined by industry.
• Individual case data linked to outbreaks were used to determine case characteristics.

Main Results:

• A total of 19,893 COVID-19 outbreaks and 300,379 associated cases were reported to CDPH.
• The health care and social assistance sector accounted for the highest proportion of outbreaks (47.8%) and cases (54.8%).
• Skilled nursing and residential care facilities within this sector had the highest outbreak incidence levels. Retail trade (8.6%) and manufacturing (7.9%) also reported high proportions of outbreaks.

Conclusions:

• Certain industries in California, notably health care, manufacturing, and retail, experienced a substantial burden of COVID-19 outbreaks.
• Industry-specific tracking of COVID-19 outbreaks can inform targeted prevention efforts, including workforce vaccination campaigns.