Jobs and COVID-19: Measuring Work-Related Physical Interaction

Haroon Bhorat, Timothy Köhler (), Amy Thornton and Morne Oosthuizen

Working Papers from University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit

Abstract: Given the role of physical human proximity and contact in the spread of COVID-19, we build an index measuring the level of physical interaction for different occupations. Our Physical Interaction Index combines occupational work context information from O*NET and work travel information from the 2010 StatsSA Time Use Survey. We merge this with South African labour market data from 2018-2019 to explore the distribution of physical interaction across occupations and sectors shortly before the pandemic. The index provides some empirical evidence about a dimension of transmission risk that could inform how to calibrate the composition of economic sectors being phased back to work over the next few months. This short note introduces the index and provides some initial descriptive results for the South African labour market.

Keywords: COVID-19; occupations; Physical Interaction Index; South Africa; work from home; work travel (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 12 pages
Date: 2020-04
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Published in Working Paper Series by the Development Policy Research Unit, April 2020, pages 1-12

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