COVID-19 and Immigrant Essential Workers: Bhutanese and Burmese Refugees in the United States. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Mengxi; Gurung, Ashok; Anglewicz, Philip; Yun, Katherine
• Is Part Of: Public health reports. Volume 136:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 117
• Page End: 123
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: immigrant -- refugee -- Asian American -- COVID-19 -- essential worker; Public health -- United States -- Periodicals; 614.0973
• DOI: 10.1177/0033354920971720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3549

Abstract

Objectives: Immigrants are believed to be at high risk of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A leading suspected risk factor is their role in the essential workforce. We aimed to describe COVID-19–related risk factors among Bhutanese and Burmese refugees in the United States. Methods: We administered an anonymous online survey in May 2020 among community leaders of Bhutanese and Burmese refugees. Using a snowball sampling strategy, we invited community leaders to complete the survey and share the link with others who met inclusion criteria (English proficient, aged ≥18, currently living in the United States). We compared respondents with and without recent COVID-19 and identified risk factors for infection. Results: Of 218 refugees in 23 states who completed the survey from May 15 through June 1, 2020, fifteen (6.9%) reported infection with COVID-19. Being an essential worker during the pandemic (odds ratio [OR] = 5.25; 95% CI, 1.21-22.78), having an infected family member (OR = 26.92; 95% CI, 5.19-139.75), and being female (OR = 5.63; 95% CI, 1.14-27.82) were risk factors for infection. Among 33 infected family members, 23 (69.7%) were essential workers. Conclusion: Although we had a small snowball sample, we found that working in essential industries was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 infection among Bhutanese and Burmese refugees. We call for larger studies that include Asian immigrant subgroups, as well as immediate attention to protecting immigrant essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.