Healthcare workers, schoolchildren and students are among the groups that have had the highest number of Covid-19 infections, according to new data released by the Irish Independent.
Of that number, 54,455 were aged between 16 and 67, the age range within which active employment is most likely.
Within this cohort, 3,377 indicated that they were not currently employed for a variety of reasons, including illness.
Occupational data for the remaining 51,078 confirmed Covid-19 cases who are between the ages of 16 and 67 were broken down relative to employment sectors. in the HPSC Computerized Infectious Disease Notification System (CIDR). The data shows that 11,902 cases, or 23.3%, were in the “category of health and related workers”.
This sector, where workers face potential exposure to Covid-19 through their work, is believed to be among the first to be immunized when a vaccine is released next year.
In terms of ranking from highest to lowest, the category of health workers was followed by “students including schoolchildren”, which had 3,154 or 6.2% of cases.
Teachers also represented a significant number, with 666 confirmed cases.
Workers in the production of food, beverages and tobacco represent 1,739 cases (3.4%), while infected workers who are in the category of “other gainful occupations” represent 2,314 cases (4.5%).
A total of 23,489 cases (46 percent) did not include employment data and were classified as “unknown occupation”.
Elsewhere, Covid-19 cases in those in sales occupations account for 2% of workers who became infected, while “other professional workers” account for 1.6% of cases.
Construction and construction workers account for 1.4% of cases, while employees in business and commerce account for 1.5% of cases. The same figure (1.5%) was recorded for clerical and clerical employees.
An Garda Síochána members represent 134 cases (0.3 percent) and central and local government workers also account for the same percentage (0.3 percent) of cases with 175 registered infections.
The occupations with the lowest number of infections include textile and leather workers, with six registered cases, as well as religious occupations (11) and those who work in the army (66).
A recent report from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control on Covid-19 clusters and outbreaks in occupational settings found that workers in occupations that bring them physically close to other people (coworkers, patients, clients) are more exposed and at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 in the absence of mitigation measures.
This was particularly the case “when working indoors or with shared transport or accommodation”.
The report noted that occupations are commonly related to socioeconomic status, which can also affect the individual’s risk of Covid-19.
Additionally, workers in many essential sectors are unable to work from home, which may explain why certain occupations
They have been shown to have a higher risk of infection and mortality from Covid-19 than others.
In a statement, the Health Department said the data was extracted on November 23 and that “the details of the case can be updated at any time.”
A spokesperson added: “The data described here may
they differ from previously reported data and data reported for the same time period in the future. “
