Article Summary
December 3, 2020
Simple Questionnaires to Improve Pooling Strategies for SARS-CoV-2 Laboratory Testing
Questionnaire-based risk stratification could further enhance the efficiency of pooling strategies for SARS-CoV-2 lab testing. Schneitler et al. pooled samples using responses to a short questionnaire about clinical symptoms, travel history, and contact with people with confirmed COVID-19. In a sample (n=25,978) with overall SARS-CoV-2 prevalence of 0.9%, randomly pooled samples had higher pool positivity…
Pooled Saliva Specimens for SARS-CoV-2 Testing
A prospective study of pooled saliva specimens for RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 yielded lower sensitivity compared to nasopharyngeal (NP) or mid-turbinate (MT) swabs, but adequate detection in samples with high viral loads. Saliva specimens had 81.8% positive agreement with NP swabs, which rose to 90.0% positive agreement among samples with moderate to high viral load…
COVID-19 and Infant Hospitalizations for Seasonal Respiratory Virus Infections, New Zealand, 2020
A pediatric hospital in South Auckland, New Zealand observed a dramatic decrease in cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus after COVID-19 lockdown measures were implemented in March 2020, compared to prior seasons. Additionally, case reductions were sustained after gradual reopening beginning in April 2020. While annual hospitalizations for lower respiratory tract infections ranged from…
December 2, 2020
Model-Based Evaluation of the Impact of Noncompliance with Public Health Measures on COVID-19 Disease Control
[Preprint, not peer reviewed] A modeling study using an SEIRS model reported that more effective COVID-19 interventions would require a lower proportion of people to comply with them to achieve complete suppression of SARS-CoV-2 spread among US populations. For an intervention with 50% efficacy, at least 95% compliance is required; for an intervention with 70%…
A COVID-19 Transmission Model Informing Medication Development and Supply Chain Needs
[Preprint, not peer reviewed] A modified SEIR model using data from the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard estimated that 66% of global SARS-CoV-2 cases were asymptomatic; each symptomatic and asymptomatic case could infect 2 and 6 other people, respectively. 10% of cases were super-spreaders, who had a 2-fold higher risk of transmission rate than average….
High Anal Swab Viral Load Predisposes Adverse Clinical Outcomes in Severe COVID-19 Patients
Higher viral load of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in anal swab samples was associated with severe COVID-19 outcomes including death (OR=1.4), ICU admission (OR=1.2) and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (OR=1.3) among a cohort of 188 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in China. The period from symptom onset to positive virus detection was also significantly shorter in non-survivors than…
High Seroprevalence but Short‐lived Immune Response to SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection in Paris
Serological testing among 1847 active workers in France showed declining antibody responses to SARS‐CoV‐2 4-8 weeks after the first sampling. Overall, 11% of workers were positive for IgG against SARS-CoV-2-specific proteins and 9.5% had evidence of viral neutralization. Among these, 21% were asymptomatic. In sera obtained 4–8 weeks after the first sampling, anti‐N and anti‐S…
Repurposed Antiviral Drugs for Covid-19 — Interim WHO Solidarity Trial Results
In a randomized trial of 11,330 adult inpatients with COVID-19 from 30 countries, with 2750 assigned to remdesivir, 954 to hydroxychloroquine, 1411 to lopinavir (without interferon), 2063 to interferon (including 651 to interferon plus lopinavir), and 4088 to no trial drug, all trial drugs had little or no effect on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation,…
Evidence of Long-Distance Droplet Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by Direct Air Flow in a Restaurant in Korea
A COVID-19 outbreak investigation at a restaurant in Jeonju, Korea revealed that one of three incident cases was infected by droplets from the index case 6.5m away within 5 minutes of exposure based on TV surveillance, interviews, and cell phone data. There was no direct or indirect contact with the index case. Ceiling-type air conditioners…
Stepwise School Opening and an Impact on the Epidemiology of COVID-19 in the Children
School opening with good adherence to mitigation measures among students in Korea did not cause significant school-related COVID-19 outbreaks. Following the implementation of social distancing strategies on February 29, 2020, in-person classes convened between May 20 and June 8 at four steps with high school senior students (grade 12) back to school first. As of…
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