Occupational risk of COVID-19 by country of birth. A register-based study.

Kjollesdal, M. K.; Magnusson, K.

Aim To assess the role of occupation in the spread of COVID-19 among immigrants in Norway. Methods In 2.729.627 residents in Norway aged 20-70 years and born in Norway, Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey (mean [SD] age 44 (14) years and 51% men), we examined whether persons employed as taxi drivers, bus- and tram drivers, child care workers, nurses, personal care workers in health, food service counter attendants, waiters/bartenders, cleaners and shop sale persons had a higher risk of COVID-19, from April 1st 2020 to December 2nd 2020, compared to 1) Norwegian-born in the same occupational group and 2) all others with the same birth country and aged 20-70 years, using logistic regressions. Results Within each of the included occupational groups, immigrants had a greatly increased odds of COVID-19 when compared to Norwegian-born (OR ~ 1.66-12.72). However, immigrants working in the selected occupations had the same odds of COVID-19 as person with same birth country not having the same occupation (OR~1). Exceptions were Somalian- , Afghani- and Iraqi personal care workers in health services who had an increased odds of COVID-19 (OR 1.61 (95% CI 1.31, 1.98), OR 1.46 (1.06, 2.02) and OR 1.40 (1.03, 1.91), respectively) compared to others from the same country. Conclusion Immigrants holding various occupations implying close contact with others did not have higher odds of notified infection than others with the same country of birth, except for health care workers. Our study indicates that occupation is not an important driver of the high rates of COVID-19 among immigrants from Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey