Occupational factors are also likely to lead to differential exposure risk during an infl uenza pandemic, particularly in terms of adherence to strategies that aim to limit case-patient contact with others (18) . Staying home may not be economically feasible for persons in lower wage occupations; these persons are less able to afford losing income as a result of missed work and often lack the job fl exibility that would permit them to work at home. In addition, their jobs may be necessary because they provide essential goods and services. For these reasons, parents in lower wage/lower status occupations may be more likely to keep their children in communal childcare settings-where exposure risks are relatively high-during an infl uenza pandemic, placing everyone in the family at greater risk for exposure.