MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, London, UK.
Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2021 Oct;75(10):955-962. doi: 10.1136/jech-2020-215889. Epub 2021 Apr 9.
Key workers played a pivotal role during the national lockdown in the UK's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although protective measures have been taken, the impact of the pandemic on key workers is yet to be fully elucidated.
Participants were from four longitudinal age-homogeneous British cohorts (born in 2001, 1990, 1970 and 1958). A web-based survey provided outcome data during the first UK national lockdown (May 2020) on COVID-19 infection status, changes in financial situation, trust in government, conflict with people around, household composition, psychological distress, alcohol consumption, smoking and sleep duration. Generalised linear models with logit link assessed the association between being a key worker and the above outcomes. Adjustment was made for cohort design, non-response, sex, ethnicity, adult socioeconomic position (SEP), childhood SEP, the presence of a chronic illness and receipt of a shielding letter. Meta-analyses were performed across the cohorts.
13 736 participants were included. During lockdown, being a key worker was associated with increased chances of being infected with COVID-19 (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.68) and experiencing conflict with people around (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.37). However, key workers were less likely to be worse off financially (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.65), to consume more alcohol (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.98) or to smoke more (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.80) during lockdown. Interestingly, being a key worker was not associated with psychological distress (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.05).
Being a key worker during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown was a double-edged sword, with both benefits and downsides. The UK government had the basic duty to protect its key workers from SARS-CoV-2 infection, but it may have failed to do so, and there is an urgent need to rectify this in light of the ongoing third wave.
在英国应对 COVID-19 大流行的国家封锁期间，关键工作者发挥了关键作用。尽管已经采取了保护措施，但大流行对关键工作者的影响尚未完全阐明。
参与者来自四个纵向年龄相同的英国队列（分别出生于 2001 年、1990 年、1970 年和 1958 年）。一项基于网络的调查在英国首次全国封锁期间（2020 年 5 月）提供了 COVID-19 感染状况、财务状况变化、对政府的信任、与周围人冲突、家庭构成、心理困扰、饮酒、吸烟和睡眠时间等方面的数据。使用具有对数链接的广义线性模型评估了作为关键工作者与上述结果之间的关联。调整了队列设计、无应答、性别、种族、成年社会经济地位（SEP）、儿童 SEP、慢性疾病的存在和收到屏蔽信。对队列进行了荟萃分析。
共纳入 13736 名参与者。在封锁期间，作为关键工作者与感染 COVID-19 的几率增加有关（OR 1.43，95%CI 1.22 至 1.68）和与周围人发生冲突的几率增加有关（OR 1.19，95%CI 1.03 至 1.37）。然而，关键工作者在财务方面不太可能变得更糟（OR 0.32，95%CI 0.24 至 0.65），在封锁期间饮酒更多（OR 0.88，95%CI 0.79 至 0.98）或吸烟更多（OR 0.60，95%CI 0.44 至 0.80）。有趣的是，作为关键工作者与心理困扰无关（OR 0.95，95%CI 0.85 至 1.05）。
在英国首次 COVID-19 封锁期间成为关键工作者是一把双刃剑，既有好处也有坏处。英国政府有基本责任保护其关键工作者免受 SARS-CoV-2 感染，但它可能没有做到这一点，鉴于正在进行的第三波疫情，有必要对此进行纠正。
