Scientific American
Nursing Home Workers Had One of the Deadliest Jobs of 2020
An analysis of incomplete data shows they had a death rate higher than that of loggers and may have rivaled fishers for the most perilous profession
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During the pandemic in 2020, nursing home workers died at rates similar to those of the most dangerous professions, such as fishing and logging, in the previous year. Credit: Getty Images
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When you think of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S., you might imagine something like logging, fishing or truck driving. But in 2020 one of the deadliest professions of all did not involve operating heavy machinery, braving the elements or driving big rigs but rather caring for the elderly.