COVID-19 Outbreaks Linked to Workplaces, 23 US Jurisdictions, August-October 2021

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health Surveillance

Background:

• Workplace outbreaks of COVID-19 were a significant concern early in the pandemic, particularly in settings with essential workers.
• Routine surveillance systems lacked timely national data on the prevalence and types of workplace COVID-19 outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in US workplaces.
• To identify the specific types of workplace settings experiencing these outbreaks between August and October 2021.

Main Methods:

• Data on workplace COVID-19 outbreaks and associated worker cases were collected from health departments nationwide.
• Information on the types of workplaces and assistance provided (e.g., consultation, testing, vaccine distribution) was also gathered.

Main Results:

• A total of 12,660 workplace COVID-19 outbreaks were reported by 23 health departments.
• The highest proportions of outbreaks occurred in health care settings (35.9%), educational settings (33.4%), and other work settings (30.7%).
• Public health departments provided extensive consultation on mitigation strategies (80.1%) and outbreak response (49.5%).

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 continues to significantly impact workers, highlighting the risk of occupational transmission.
• The findings emphasize the critical need for implementing layered prevention strategies in the workplace.
• Public health guidance and support are essential for managing and mitigating workplace outbreaks.