May 24, 2021

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening in the U.S.

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Public Health Policy and Practice

Keywords (Tags): public health

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea testing in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic were at their lowest during April 2020, with decreases of 59% among female and 63% among male patients relative to baseline levels. Declines in testing were strongly associated with increases in weekly positivity rates for chlamydia (R2=0.96) and gonorrhea (R2=0.85). The study estimates that between March and June 2020, 27,659 (26%) cases of chlamydia and 5,577 (17%) cases of gonorrhea were potentially missed, based on historical trends.

Pinto et al. (May 2021). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2021.03.009