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RETAIL AND SUPERMARKET staff were hardest hit by Covid-19 in the last two waves of the pandemic in Ireland, new figures show.
Data from the Central Statistics Office shows retail assistants, cashiers and checkout operators were the workers most likely to contract the virus in the second and third waves of the pandemic.
The second wave of the virus lasted from August to November 2020 while the third wave is classified as late November 2020 to May 2021.
This was a significant shift from the early stages of the pandemic, when healthcare staff and social workers were most likely to catch the virus, making up 60% of cases among workers in April 2020.
The new figures show that in the first wave of Covid-19, as the country locked down, 6% of the total cases in workers were in nurses and midwives.
That level, the data indicates, fell to 4% in the next two waves of the virus.
Retail staff and checkout operators made up 6% of cases among all employees in the same time period.
The data shows how the places, as well as the people, where Covid-19 struck hardest shifted over the course of the pandemic.
“Analysing the cases over the first three waves of the pandemic, we can see that the profile of cases changed from the first wave, where cases were concentrated more in older age groups and in Dublin, to the second and third waves, where younger age groups were more likely to be infected and the cases were spread around the rest of the country,” CSO statistician Steven Conroy said.
In the first wave, Dublin became the epicentre of the pandemic in Ireland, accounting for over 50% of cases.
This figure dropped to 31% and 35% in the next two waves as Covid-19 outbreaks spread beyond the capital.
Women remain more likely than men to contract Covid but the first wave saw the starkest difference when 54% of cases were female.
The data also shows that in the first wave, 19% of cases were in overcrowded homes – defined by the CSO as where there is more than one person per room.
This had dropped to 8% by the time the third wave struck.
While the data shows that rates of Covid-19 were similar regardless of how rich or deprived an area was by the time the third wave struck, in Dublin the poorest areas of the capital have consistently reported the highest rates of the virus.
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I workin retail and noted the customers I served on day a while back. 1/3 of people I served had no mask on. Management won’t stop them or refuse them entry. That is what retail staff have to deal with and why the numbers at high.
@Nigel Comerford: I’m really sorry to hear that. Retail/grocery/supermarket staff have been doing their jobs and keeping life going for the rest of us all through this pandemic and deserve real respect from everyone.
@Nigel Comerford: That s mostly true, even tough in some places it is more taken seriously than others, customers spanking, mask-less, the poor retail staff for things they have clearly no control of but they are the “first line of defence” so …
@Nigel Comerford: In a nutshell profit over employee wellbeing. Not surprising.
@Gavin Mckenna: in a nutshell selfishness over others all round really.
Interesting I so happen to work as a cashier in an overcrowded shop in a hospital. Show me the money!
@Jimmy Chickens: how is it over crowded when hardly anyone is allowed in ? All staff per chance?? And if so you are probably all vaccinated.
They would say that, wouldn’t they … trying to get to the top of the covid bonus queue
@Alan Campbell: they didn’t say that Genius, the central statistics office did. Or did you not read the article???
@Alan Campbell: Fool
@Alan Campbell: bitter are we??
@Tony Harris: people resort to name calling when they lose the argument!
@Alan Campbell: once again Alan you fail to see something that is right in front of you. He isn’t arguing with you. He is simply stating what you have made yourself out to be. Maybe the next time you are trying to make a smart arsė comment, you might want to read the article first, just so you don’t end up making a tit of yourself. Wouldn’t you agree?
@Alan Campbell: They are “not saying that”. This has been done by analysis of figures. Are you a teacher by any chance??????
@Gordon Larney: He must be a teacher afraid his claim will be knocked back .
Had a thought earlier. So much division has been caused by COVID. Front line workers vs stay at home workers, vaccinated vs unvaccinated etc etc. Who’ll get what bonus and what will it entail. It all feels very wrong and will no doubt add further fuel to the flame. How about a national weekend off. 4 days. A memorial Friday to remember those who passed during the pandemic and a bank holiday Monday for everyone who either worked or was furloughed as a result of the pandemic. Make it an annual holiday for a while.
@Rostyballs78: all you’re doing is creating different categories. Bank Holidays mean very little to a lot of front line workers. Just another 5 day week and extra wages to pay out for business owners
@Rostyballs78: haha and how exactly would that be of any benefit to healthcare workers who work weekends and bank holidays. In fact I don’t like working bank holiday weekends in hospitals, not because I miss out on family events etc but because the services aren’t available. Only on call physio, only emergency access to scans, no dieticians etc so really actually makes healthcare workers lives harder
@clairebear: I never understood that about healthcare in this country. How so many essential services close on weekends. Mind boggling really because people are still injured, sick, dying etc on Saturday and Sunday. As regards working bank holiday, I work in manufacturing now so have them off but I used to work in retail and hated closing my business for them. I don’t think an extra bank holiday is the answer to this one. It doesn’t even scratch the surface in redressing or acknowledging the personal sacrifices made by many people from all walks.
Hope you enjoy working on the new bank holiday . Moppets
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