Racial and Ethnic Disparities Among COVID-19 Cases in Workplace Outbreaks by Industry Sector - Utah, March 6-June 5, 2020

Abstract

Improved understanding of the overall distribution of workplace coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreaks by industry sector could help direct targeted public health action; however, this has not been described. The Utah Department of Health (UDOH) analyzed COVID-19 surveillance data to describe workplace outbreaks by industry sectors. In this report, workplaces refer to non-health care, noncongregate-living, and noneducational settings. As of June 5, 2020, UDOH reported 277 COVID-19 outbreaks, 210 (76%) of which occurred in workplaces. Approximately 12% (1,389 of 11,448) of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Utah were associated with workplace outbreaks. The 210 workplace outbreaks occurred in 15 of 20 industry sectors;* nearly one half of all workplace outbreaks occurred in three sectors: Manufacturing (43; 20%), Construction (32; 15%) and Wholesale Trade (29; 14%); 58% (806 of 1,389) of workplace outbreak-associated cases occurred in these three sectors. Although 24% of Utah's workforce in all 15 affected sectors identified as Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) or a race other than non-Hispanic white (nonwhite^†) (1), 73% (970 of 1,335) of workplace outbreak-associated COVID-19 cases were in persons who identified as Hispanic or nonwhite. Systemic social inequities have resulted in the overrepresentation of Hispanic and nonwhite workers in frontline occupations where exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, might be higher (2); extra vigilance in these sectors is needed to ensure prevention and mitigation strategies are applied equitably and effectively to workers of racial and ethnic groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Health departments can adapt workplace guidance to each industry sector affected by COVID-19 to account for different production processes and working conditions.

FIGURE

Percentage point difference between the percentage of workers with workplace outbreak-associated COVID-19 who are Hispanic/Latino and nonwhite and the percentage of Hispanic/Latino and nonwhite workers within the entire industry workforce, by industry sector — Utah, March 6–June 5, 2020 Abbreviation: COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019. * Sectors are sorted on absolute disparity between the percentage of Hispanic/Latino and nonwhite workers among workplace outbreak cases and the percentage of Hispanic/Latino and nonwhite workers in the overall industry workforce, in descending order. ^† Nonwhite includes the following (all non-Hispanic): black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, two or more races, or other race groups. ^§ Sector workforce demographics from U.S. Census Quarterly Workforce Indicators, Utah 2019 (third quarter); https://qwiexplorer.ces.census.gov/static/explore.html. ^¶ Industry sectors are based on the North American Industry Classification System (https://www.census.gov/eos/www/naics/). Because of small case numbers and similarities in sector processes and settings, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services and Information sectors were combined into a single category, as were Finance and Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing, and Public Administration.