This is the first study to examine how prevalence of long-COVID and its impacts on functional capacity differ by industry and occupational groups.

Prevalence of self-reported long-COVID increased with time across all exposure groups and mostly followed SARS-CoV-2 infection trends; with the exception of professional occupations (eg, healthcare, education, scientific occupations) that demonstrated notable differences in the direction of odds of long-covid when compared with odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Those working in teaching and education, and social care industries showed the highest likelihood of having long-COVID symptoms. The exact same pattern was observed when analysis was performed using occupational groups. When we used Standard Occupational Classification groups, the likelihood was higher in Caring, leisure and other services.

COVID-19 became the third-leading cause of death for Canadians last year, overtaking accidents and unintentional injuries for the first time since the disease emerged in 2020.

“This increase may in part be due to the exposure to new highly transmissible COVID-19 variants and the gradual return to normalcy,” the report said, pointing to reduced restrictions and the elimination of masking requirements.