Coronavirus likely to impact healthcare employees 7 times more than other workers: Study

A study published in the journal Occupational and Environment Medicine recently revealed that healthcare workers are seven times as likely to have severe coronavirus infection as those with other types of “non-essential” jobs. In the study, the researchers compared the risk of developing a severe infection in essential and non-essential workers, based on linked data from the UK Biobank study, COVID-19 test results from Public Health England, and recorded deaths for the period March to July.

The research focusing on the first UK-wide lockdown also noted that those with jobs in the social care and transport sectors are twice as likely to have severe COVID, further emphasising the need to ensure that key workers are adequately protected against the infection. 

The research included 120,075 employees aged 49-64. Out of the total number, 29 per cent were classified as essential workers and the rest included police and those working in transport and food preparation. According to the study, the healthcare professionals - doctors, pharmacists, nurses and paramedics - had higher rates of severe COVID-10 than non-essential workers. Those working in social care and in education, on the other hand, were 84 per cent as likely to have a severe infection. Further, the researchers also found that medical support staff were nearly nine times as likely to develop severe disease. 

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COVID impact based on ethnicity 

The researchers also looked at the impact of ethnicity. The study found that the risks of severe infection for Black and Asian non-essential workers were similar to those for white essential workers, suggesting that ethnicity is a key factor. The research concluded that non-essential workers of Black and Asian background were more than three times as likely to develop severe infections as white non-essential workers, while Black and Asian essential workers were more than eight times likely to do so. 

Researchers also noted that their study is an observational one and therefore it can not establish the cause. The authors acknowledged that their initial background data were collected more than a decade ago, so they were unable to account for any changes in health, lifestyle, income and employment status. Further, nor were the researchers able to take account of the changes in risk overtimes, such as the availability of PPE. 

In conclusion, the authors of the study said, “Our findings reinforce the need for adequate health and safety arrangements and provision of PPE for essential workers, especially in the health and social care sectors. The health and wellbeing of essential workers are critical to limiting the spread and managing the burden of global pandemics.”

(With inputs from ANI; Image: AP) 

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