Article Summary
July 6, 2020
Chopping the Tail: How Preventing Superspreading Can Help to Maintain COVID-19 Control
[Preprint, not peer-reviewed] An SEIR model for the COVID-19 epidemic that incorporates time-varying impacts of non-pharmaceutical interventions in Los Angeles and Santa Clara County, Seattle, Miami, and Atlanta shows that the first-wave interventions in mid-March, 2020 of eliminating large social gatherings, mandated mask-wearing and physical distancing have affected the heterogeneity in transmission rates by eliminating high-risk events. Kain et al. (July 3, 2020). Chopping the Tail: How Preventing…
High Proportion of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections in 9 Long-Term Care Facilities, Pasadena, California, USA, April 2020
A high prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was identified in long-term care facilities in Pasadena, California. Among 938 persons (356 staff and 582 residents) tested for SARS-CoV-2 using rRT-PCR at 9 long-term care facilities, 631 were positive (overall: 67%; staff: 63%; residents: 70%). Staff involved with direct patient care had a higher rate of infection than staff who were not (69%,150/219 vs. 48%, 25/52). Among…
Diagnostic Accuracy of Serological Tests for Covid-19: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
The diagnostic accuracy of serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was reviewed by Lisboa Bastos et al. based on 40 studies and 49 bias assessments. They found a high risk of patient selection bias in 98% (48/49) of assessments and high or unclear risk of bias regarding performance or interpretation of the serological test in 73% (36/49). The pooled sensitivity of ELISAs was 84.3% (95%CI 75.6-90.9%), of lateral…
Treatment with ACE Inhibitors or ARBs and Risk of Severe/Lethal COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis
Flacco et al. conducted a meta-analysis (10 studies including 9,890 subjects) to estimate the association between hypertensive medication and COVID-19 outcomes. Results showed that, compared to untreated subjects, treatment with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) was not associated with the risk of severe or lethal COVID-19 (OR=0.90, 95%CI 0.65-1.26 for ACE inhibitors; OR=0.92, 95%CI 0.75-1.12 for ARBs). Treatment with both drugs…
The Role of Children in Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A Rapid Review
Li et al. conducted a rapid review of 16 studies investigating the role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Two studies reported transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected children (1 with a 3-month-old whose parents developed symptomatic COVID-19 seven days after caring for the infant; 1 with two children who may have contracted COVID-19 from the initial cases…
Retrospective Screening for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in California, USA, Late 2019
Hogan et al. retrospectively tested 1,700 nasopharyngeal swab samples from persons with respiratory signs/symptoms seen at Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, California, USA, during October 31, 2019–December 31, 2019. They found no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infections occurred earlier than was previously recognized. Hogan et al. (July 3, 2020). Retrospective Screening for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in California, USA, Late 2019. Emerging Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2610.202296
How to Safely Reopen Colleges and Universities During COVID-19: Experiences From Taiwan
Measures used in Taiwan to successfully control the spread SARS-CoV-2 in colleges and universities could inform such re-openings elsewhere. The Ministry of Education in Taiwan established general guidelines for college campuses that include creation of a task force at each university, school-based risk screening based on travel history, occupation, contacts, and clusters, self-management of health and quarantine, general hygiene measures (including wearing masks indoors), principles on…
Association between Mobility Patterns and COVID-19 Transmission in the USA: A Mathematical Modelling Study
Across 25 US counties with high COVID-19 case numbers from January 1 to April 20, 2020, aggregated cell phone data was used to define a mobility ratio (MR) as the change in the number of individual trips made per day, relative to ordinary behavioral patterns before COVID-19. The MR varied from 0.35 in New York City to 0.63 in Harris County, TX. There was a high correlation (>0.7) between decreased…
July 2, 2020
The Impact of Contact Tracing and Household Bubbles on Deconfinement Strategies for COVID-19 an Individual-Based Modelling Study
[pre-print, not peer reviewed] Willem et al. adapted an individual-based model that accounts for repetitive leisure contacts in extended household settings (so called “household bubbles”) to simulate interactions between the 11 million inhabitants of Belgium at the level of households, workplaces, schools and communities. They found that household bubbles have the potential to reduce the number of COVID-19 hospital admissions by…
Low-Impact Social Distancing Interventions to Mitigate Local Epidemics of SARS-CoV-2
[pre-print, not peer reviewed] Jackson estimated the impact of interventions chosen for their minimal disruption to economic and social activity on mitigating the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in King County, Washington. Interventions considered were (a) encouraging telecommuting; (b) reducing contacts with seniors and nursing home residents; (c) modest reductions to contacts outside of the home; (d) encouraging self-isolation of persons with COVID-19 symptoms; (e) rapid testing and household quarantining. No…
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