A U.S. study yesterday found that employment-related exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, endangers workers and their household members.
The JAMA Internal Medicine study used pre-pandemic household survey data and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 risk factors to estimate the number of adults at increased risk of severe COVID-19 who hold essential jobs and are unable to work at home (WAH), or who live in households with such workers.
CDC risk factors for severe disease include obesity, age 65 or older, or any of the following: diabetes, emphysema or chronic pulmonary disease, cancer, or coronary heart disease. The CDC also employs broader guidelines that include possible indicators of increased risk such as current smoking, treated asthma, or treated high blood pressure.