For the first time, the number of coronavirus infections is lower in the working population than in the general population
According to the bimonthly report by KU Leuven professor of occupational medicine, Lode Godderis, this is the first time since the start of the pandemic that there have been more Covid infections in the general population than in workers. The report covers the period between April 19 and May 2. Data from the Sciensano health institute, combined with social security data and tracing of contact cases, make it possible to compare the different sectors. The figures are consulted on the basis of the fourteen-day incidence rate, that is to say the number of infections per 100,000 people over this period.
The incidence in the active population during this period was 718. During the previous period, from April 5 to 18, this figure was 1,101. The number of infections has thus decreased by 35%.
The latest report situates the incidence for the general population to 758. The previous report still reported an incidence of 1,048. In this group too, there was a sharp drop: 28%.
In the care and social work sector, the number of infections is always higher than in the general population. This mainly concerns workplaces such as hospitals and residential care centers. Overall, this sector has an incidence of 869.
That of education, which has always had high figures in previous reports, also fell below the level of the active population during the fortnight studied and ends up with an incidence of 715.