Exposure and Illness Among Workers Filing for COVID-19-Related Workers' Compensation-California, 2020

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to the workforce.
• Understanding occupational exposure risks is crucial for public health interventions.
• Workers' compensation claims offer a valuable data source for studying workplace-related illnesses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and COVID-19 infection in California workers' compensation claims during 2020.
• To identify risk factors associated with COVID-19 exposure and infection among workers.
• To analyze patterns of illness claims within specific worksites.

Main Methods:

• A case-control study design was employed.
• Machine learning techniques and job exposure matrices were utilized.
• Associations between job exposures, illness claims, and worksite clusters were assessed over a 3-week period.

Main Results:

• Over 117,000 COVID-19 claims were analyzed, predominantly affecting younger workers with shorter job tenure in healthcare.
• Illness claims were more common in older workers with longer tenure.
• Jobs requiring close physical proximity, high physical activity, and roles in transportation and warehousing industries were linked to claim clusters.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest significant respiratory viral transmission in occupational settings.
• The study supports integrating work-related variables into broader California data systems.
• Further research is warranted to refine understanding of workplace transmission dynamics.