New Study Suggests First Responders More Likely to Get COVID-19, Less Likely to Vaccinate

Sarasota, FL (WorkersCompensation.com) – First line responders such as law enforcement, firefighters, and paramedics are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison to healthcare workers, according to a 2021 study by researchers at the University of Arizona in Tucson. In fact, researchers found that first responders had twice the incidence of infection as healthcare personnel.

According to data from the Officer Down Memorial Page, the leading cause of deaths in the line of duty in 2021 was COVID-19. The total of officer deaths in the line of duty in 2021 was 633, of which 454 were from COVID-19, equating to 71.7 percent of total deaths. In comparison, officer deaths from gunfire came in at a far second with 62 deaths, 10.2 percent of the total.

While first responders have had a higher incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections, the vaccination uptake has been considerably low, especially in comparison to other high-risk groups such as healthcare workers. Researchers from University of Miami reviewed data from the Arizona HEROES (Healthcare, Emergency Response, and Other Essential Workers Study) and RECOVER (Research on the Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Essential Response Personnel) studies to determine the attitudes of first responders regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The results of the study were released in JAMA Network Open earlier this month.

Eligible participants worked at least 20 hours per week in a job that involved close contact of less than 3 feet. Aged 18 to 85, the participants were enrolled in Florida, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Arizona. From January through September of last year, participants provided weekly nasal specimens and reported COVID-19 symptoms by text message. COVID-19 illnesses and duration, including missed work, were tracked. The participant’s vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and practices were also assessed, along with sociodemographic characteristics, and were grouped according to vaccine status. Participants were considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving all of the recommended primary vaccine doses.

Participants totaled 1,415 with males comprising 79 percent and an average age of 41.3 years. Firefighters totaled 964, at 68 percent. Law enforcement officers totaled 238, at 17 percent. Other first responders totaled 213, at 15 percent.

Only 82 percent, a total of 1,163 participants, completed the attitude survey, of which 62 percent were unvaccinated and 97 percent were vaccinated. Thirty-five percent of the fully vaccinated stated they trusted the government regarding vaccines, compared to only 12 percent of the unvaccinated. Fifty-four percent of the fully vaccinated believed that COVID-19 vaccines were effective, compared to 17 percent of the unvaccinated. The results were similar when asked about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

A total of 184 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections were identified. The COVID-19 incidence among law enforcement per 1,000 person-weeks was 11.9 in unvaccinated, and .6 in fully vaccinated. For firefighters, the incidence per 1,000 person-weeks was 9.0 in unvaccinated, and 1.8 in fully vaccinated. The average duration of illness for those with confirmed COVID-19 was 15.3 days, with 67.6 average hours of missed work. Overall the researchers did not see a notable difference in time off between vaccination statuses.

While the researchers acknowledged the limitations of the study, they concluded overall that unvaccinated first responders are more likely to develop COVID-19 while being less likely to believe in the effectiveness and safety of vaccines than their vaccinated co-workers. The researchers surmise that the findings could pose a potential workforce disruption in the face of a repeat COVID-19 type pandemic.

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