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January 19, 2021
Reopening Schools and the Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Israel: A Nationwide Study
Nationwide weekly incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Israel gradually increased after school reopening in May 2020, and positivity rates 21-27 days following school reopening increased at least 3-fold among adults ≥20 years, but did not increase for children <20 years old. No increase was observed in COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and deaths following school reopening. However,…
January 15, 2021
Is Lockdown Effective in Limiting SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic Progression?—A Cross-Country Comparative Evaluation Using Epidemiokinetic Tools
A comparison of lockdown measures and counts of COVID-19 cases across 9 countries using an SIR-based epidemic model found that lockdown policies were effective in reducing SARS CoV-2 infections. The models discerned two groups of countries. The first group included Sweden and the United States, which had either no lockdowns or abruptly ended lockdown policies…
Reductions in 2020 US Life Expectancy Due to COVID-19 and the Disproportionate Impact on the Black and Latino Populations
The COVID-19 pandemic could result in to 3 to 4 times larger reductions in life expectancy for Black and Latino populations in the United States compared to the reduction in life expectancy among white people. Estimated reductions in life expectancy were 2.1 in Black and 3.1 years in Latino populations versus 0.7 years in white…
Perceived Interruptions to HIV Prevention and Treatment Services Associated with COVID-19 for Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in 20 Countries
More stringent pandemic control responses were correlated with decreased perceived access to HIV prevention and treatment services in a study of 10,654 men who have sex with men from 20 countries. For every ten-point increase in stringency, assessed with the Oxford Government Response Tracker Stringency Index, there was a 3% reduction in the prevalence of…
Circulating Mitochondrial DNA Is an Early Indicator of Severe Illness and Mortality from COVID-19
Elevated mitochondrial DNA levels measured within 24 hours of presentation were associated with mortality, ICU admission, intubation, vasopressor use, and renal replacement therapy in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. These associations were maintained after adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities. Circulating mitochondrial DNA levels demonstrate similar or improved sensitivity over clinically established measurements for assessing potential…
Seroprevalence and Correlates of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Health Care Workers in Chicago
A study conducted among hospital workers in Illinois in May and June 2020 (n=6510) found that support service workers (10.4%), medical assistants (10.1%), and nurses (7.6%) had significantly higher prevalence of COVID-19 seropositivity than administrators (3.3%). Among participants who had a family member in their home who tested positive for COVID-19 (n=93), 54% were seropositive….
Clinical Outcomes From COVID-19 Following Use of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers Among Patients with Hypertension in South Korea: A Nationwide Study
Recorded use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in the 30 days preceding their COVID-19 diagnosis was not associated with all-cause mortality or respiratory events in a cohort of 682 people with hypertension who tested positive for COVID-19. ACEI/ARB use was associated with lower rates of use of mechanical ventilation,…
Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Hospitalized Women Giving Birth With and Without COVID-19
Women hospitalized for childbirth with confirmed COVID-19 (n=6,380) were younger, more often Black and/or Hispanic, and more often had diabetes or obesity than women without COVID-19. Although in-hospital mortality was low, it was significantly higher in the women with COVID-19 than in those without COVID-19 (141 vs 5 deaths per 100,000 women). The women with…
The Epidemiological and Radiographical Characteristics of Asymptomatic Infections with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis (104 studies, n=20,152 participants) found that 13.3% of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection were asymptomatic, though there was substantial variation between studies (I2=95%). Children were more likely to be asymptomatic than adults (32% vs. 10%). More than 47% of asymptomatic individuals who had chest imaging had abnormal lung findings. Chen et…
Comparison of Saliva and Nasopharyngeal Swab Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing for Detection of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies comparing the accuracy of saliva nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) to nasopharyngeal swab NAAT found that the two methods yielded comparable results. The sensitivity of saliva NAAT was 83% compared to 85% for nasopharyngeal NAAT. Both tests had a specificity of 99%. The authors suggest that the…
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