COVID-19 Surveillance and Investigations in Workplaces — Seattle & King County, Washington, June 15–November 15, 2020

Abstract

What is already known about this topic? Workplace activities that involve close contact with coworkers and customers can lead to COVID-19 spread. What is added by this report? Workplace investigations were prioritized using workplace features associated with increased COVID-19 spread and with severe disease outcomes. High-priority investigations were more likely than were medium- and low-priority investigations to have two or more cases among employees, two or more cases not previously linked to the workplace, or two or more exposed workplace contacts not previously elicited during case interviews. What are the implications for public health practice? Workplace investigations uncovered contacts not previously elicited and cases not previously linked to the workplace, demonstrating the importance of conducting workplace investigations in addition to routine case interviews to limit the potential workplace spread of COVID-19.