Examining the Relationship Between Workplace Industry and COVID-19 Infection: A Cross-sectional Study of Canada's Largest Rapid Antigen Screening Program.

Abstract

To control virus spread while keeping the economy open, this study aimed to identify individuals at increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace using rapid antigen screening data. Among adult participants in a large Canadian rapid antigen screening program (January 2021-March 2022), we examined screening, personal, and workplace characteristics and conducted logistic regressions, adjusted for COVID-19 wave, screening frequency and location, role, age group, and geography. Among 145,814 participants across 2707 worksites, 6209 screened positive at least once. Workers in natural resources (odds ratio [OR] = 2.1 [1.73-2.55]), utilities (OR = 1.67 [1.38-2.03]), construction (OR = 1.35 [1.06-1.71]), and transportation/warehousing (OR = 1.32 [1.12-1.56]) had increased odds of screening positive; workers in education/health (OR = 0.62 [0.52-0.73]), leisure/hospitality (OR = 0.71 [0.56-0.90]), and finance (OR = 0.84 [0.71-0.99]) had lesser odds of screening positive, compared with professional/business services. Certain industries involving in-person work in close quarters are associated with elevated COVID-19 transmission. Continued reliance on rapid screening in these sectors is warranted.