Age-Stratified Model to Assess Health Outcomes of COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies,Ghana

We assessed the effect of various COVID-19 vaccination strategies on health outcomes in Ghana by using an age-stratified compartmental model. We stratified the population into 3 age groups: <25 years, 25–64 years, and ≥65 years. We explored 5 vaccination optimization scenarios using 2 contact matrices, assuming that 1 million persons could be vaccinated in either 3 or 6 months. We assessed these vaccine optimization strategies for the initial strain, followed by a sensitivity analysis for the Delta variant. We found that vaccinating persons <25 years of age was associated with the lowest cumulative infections for the main matrix, for both the initial strain and the Delta variant. Prioritizing the elderly (≥65 years of age) was associated with the lowest cumulative deaths for both strains in all scenarios. The consensus between the findings of both contact matrices depended on the vaccine rollout period and the objective of the vaccination program.     

Age-Stratified Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies before and during the Vaccination Era,Japan, February 2020–March 2022

Japan has reported a relatively small number of COVID-19 cases. Because not all infected persons receive diagnostic tests for COVID-19, the reported number must be lower than the actual number of infections. We assessed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence by analyzing >60,000 samples collected in Japan (Tokyo Metropolitan Area and Hokkaido Prefecture) during February 2020–March 2022. The results showed that ≈3.8% of the population had become seropositive by January 2021. The seroprevalence increased with the administration of vaccinations; however, among the elderly, seroprevalence was not as high as the vaccination rate. Among children, who were not eligible for vaccination, infection was spread during the epidemic waves caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants. Nevertheless, seroprevalence for unvaccinated children <5 years of age was as low as 10% as of March 2022. Our study underscores the low incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Japan and the effects of vaccination on immunity at the population level.     

Effectiveness of BNT162b2 Vaccine Booster against SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Breakthrough Complications,Israel

We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech, https://www.pfizer.com) booster dose against SARS-CoV-2 infection and reduction of complications (hospitalization, severe disease, and death) among breakthrough cases in persons in Israel >16 years of age for <20 weeks. VE estimates reached 96.8% (95% CI 96.0%–97.5%) for persons 16–59 years of age and 93.1% (95% CI 91.8%–94.2%) for persons >60 years of age on week 3. VE estimates remained at these levels for 8 weeks in the 16–59 age group and 11 weeks in those >60. A slow decline followed, becoming more pronounced in the last 2–3 weeks of evaluation. Estimates in the last week of evaluation were 77.6% (95% CI 68.4%–84.2%) and 61.3% (52.5%–68.4%) for persons 16–59 years and >60 years, respectively. The more pronounced VE decline coincided with rapid increase in Omicron variant activity. Rate reduction of breakthrough complications remained moderate to high throughout the evaluation.     

邵阳市94例新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情分析及对策

目的 分析邵阳市新型冠状病毒肺炎(简称新冠肺炎)疫情特征,为预防控制新冠肺炎疫情提供相关科学依据。 方法 收集截止2020年2月11日邵阳市新冠肺炎病例相关的人口学、流行病学和临床资料,建立数据库,应用SPSS 18.0进行描述性统计分析。 结果 共报告确诊病例94例,其中家庭聚集性疫情21起,先后出现武汉(或湖北)输入病例和本地续发病例两个高峰。地区分布以邵东市、新邵县和洞口县为主(69.15%)。全人群粗发病率1.28/10万,邵东市最高为4.06/10万。发病年龄最小为8岁,最大为84岁,主要以20~59岁年龄段为主(占79.8%),以武汉(或湖北)旅居史和务工返乡人员为主(占69.15%)。60岁及以上老年人确诊病例的重症(危重症)比例达66.7%(10/15),高于60岁以下年龄组确诊病例的重症(危重症)比(χ²=31.150,P<0.001)。 结论 邵阳市新冠肺炎疫情形势严峻,易发生家庭聚集性疫情,老年人易出现重症。应加强新冠肺炎相关预防控制工作,特别是对60岁以上老年人进行针对性的防护。     

Age-Dependent Effects of COVID-19 Vaccine and of Healthcare Burden on COVID-19 Deaths,Tokyo, Japan

COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against death in Japan remains unknown. Furthermore, although evidence indicates that healthcare capacity influences case-fatality risk (CFR), it remains unknown whether this relationship is mediated by age. With a modeling study, we analyzed daily COVID-19 cases and deaths during January–August 2021 by using Tokyo surveillance data to jointly estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against death and age-specific CFR. We also examined daily healthcare operations to determine the association between healthcare burden and age-specific CFR. Among fully vaccinated patients, vaccine effectiveness against death was 88.6% among patients 60–69 years of age, 83.9% among patients 70–79 years of age, 83.5% among patients 80–89 years of age, and 77.7% among patients >90 years of age. A positive association of several indicators of healthcare burden with CFR among patients >70 years of age suggested an age-dependent effect of healthcare burden on CFR in Japan.     

Postvaccination COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers,Israel

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) symptoms can be mistaken for vaccine-related side effects during initial days after immunization. Among 4,081 vaccinated healthcare workers in Israel, 22 (0.54%) developed COVID-19 from 1–10 days (median 3.5 days) after immunization. Clinicians should not dismiss postvaccination symptoms as vaccine-related and should promptly test for COVID-19.     

新冠病毒变异株奥密克戎的变异特点及对免疫学特性的影响

  目的   分析奥密克戎变异株流行期浙江省老年新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）本土感染者流行特征,为完善老年人群本土奥密克戎疫情防控工作提供依据。  方法   通过中国疾病预防控制信息系统收集2022年3月1日 — 4月30日浙江省 ≥ 60岁COVID-19本土感染者个案资料,结合现场流行病学调查信息,统计描述感染者的流行特征以及临床症状严重程度。  结果  共报告 ≥ 60岁COVID-19本土感染者163例,其中确诊病例82例,占50.31 %;无症状感染者81例,占49.69 %。确诊病例中轻型69例,占84.15 %;普通型13例,占15.85 %;无重型/危重型及死亡病例报告。感染者男女比为0.92 : 1;年龄最小60岁,最大95岁,中位年龄68岁;职业以非社会就业人员为主,共113例,占69.33 %;75例患有基础性疾病,占46.01 %;93例完成新冠病毒疫苗加强免疫接种,占57.06 %;发现方式以集中隔离为主,共114例,占69.94 %。与无心脑血管疾病组相比,心脑血管疾病组普通型（以无症状感染者为参照）构成比更高（P = 0.008）;与未完成新冠病毒加强免疫接种组相比,加强免疫接种组普通型（分别以无症状感染者、轻型为参照）构成比更低（P = 0.015;P = 0.012）。  结论   推进老年人新冠病毒疫苗加强接种以及加快研制更具针对性的奥密克戎疫苗具有重要意义;奥密克戎变异株流行期老年感染者总体症状较轻,仍需关注其病情变化,并应重视老年人日常社区生活和职业相关疫情风险环节,提高疫情早期发现和管控能力。     

含米托蒽醌的联合化疗方案治疗老年急性髓系白血病的临床观察

目的:评价含米托蒽醌的联合化疗方案(HAM) 治疗老年急性髓系白血病(AML) 。方法:比较应用HAM 方案治疗老年AML36 例与标准DA 方案治疗老年AML23 例及HAM 方案治疗中青年AML53 例的治疗效果。结果:(1)HAM 方案治疗老年AML 与DA 方案比较两者CR 率无显著性差异,但HAM 方案可使患者缓解迅速且中位缓解期较DA 方案长;(2)HAM 方案治疗老年AML 较年轻患者CR 率低且缓解期短;(3) 米托蒽醌主要毒性作用为骨髓抑制HAM 方案诱导相关死亡率并无增高。结论:HAM 方案可作为老年AML 的一种较好的治疗方案。     

SARS-CoV-2 Cluster in Nursery,Poland

We report a cluster of surprisingly high spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) associated with a single nursery in Poland. Our findings contrast with the presumed negligible role of children in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Children 1–2 years of age might be effective SARS-CoV-2 spreaders.     

深圳市罗湖区校园重启后鼻病毒引起上呼吸道感染疫情分析

目的探讨2020年深圳市罗湖区校园重启后鼻病毒感染疫情的病原学及传播特征,分析疫情发生的原因以及对新冠肺炎疫情防控的提示作用。方法对2020年6月深圳市罗湖区学校等集体单位报告的急性上呼吸道感染疫情进行调查处置,采集患者鼻咽拭子。利用荧光定量PCR方法进行鼻病毒核酸检测,巢式PCR法进行鼻病毒VP4/VP2片段的扩增,继而测序。对测序结果进行比对,绘制核苷酸序列相似性矩阵热力图、系统进化树;再结合疫情发生的时间、地点绘制疫情时空分布图。结果2020年6月共报告21起鼻病毒疫情,感染者主要为1~3年级小学生,年龄中位数为8岁;共采集鼻咽拭子248份,其中187份(75.40%)检出鼻病毒核酸阳性;病原均为鼻病毒A型,包括8种亚型,主要为A11、A44和A47型,多所学校存在2种型别毒株共同流行。结论鼻病毒疫情存在多型别毒株共同流行,缺乏呼吸防护措施情况下容易在校园内外引起传播;鼻病毒疫情高发提示新冠肺炎疫情的防控措施不够,必须从严从紧落实防控措施。     

COVID-19 outbreak and risk factors for infection in a taekwondo gym in the Republic of Korea

ObjectivesRelatively few studies have assessed risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in public facilities used by children and adolescents. This study presents an analysis of a COVID-19 outbreak that occurred in a taekwondo gym in Korea, predominantly among children and adolescents, with the aim of providing insights on managing COVID-19 outbreaks in similar facilities.MethodsAll 108 taekwondo gym students and staff received COVID-19 tests. A survey and closed-circuit television analyses were used to identify risk factors. A univariate analysis was conducted, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis with backward elimination for variables with a significance level <0.10 in the univariate analysis.Results COVID-19 was confirmed in 30 of 108 subjects at the taekwondo gym (attack rate, 27.8%). The outbreak started in an adult class student. This student transmitted the virus to the staff, who consequently transmitted the virus to adolescent students. In the univariate analysis, the relative risk for younger age (≤9 years) was 2.14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–4.54; p=0.054), and that for food consumption inside the gym was 2.12 (95% CI, 1.04–4.30; p=0.048). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for younger age was 2.96 (95% CI, 1.07–8.20; p=0.036), and that for food consumption inside the gym was 3.00 (95% CI, 1.10–8.17; p=0.032).Conclusion Food consumption inside the facility and young age were significant risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in this taekwondo gym. Food consumption should be prohibited in sports facilities, and infection prevention education for young students is also required.     

Disparities in First Dose COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among Children 5–11 Years of Age,United States

We analyzed first-dose coronavirus disease vaccination coverage among US children 5–11 years of age during November–December 2021. Pediatric vaccination coverage varied widely by jurisdiction, age group, and race/ethnicity, and lagged behind vaccination coverage for adolescents aged 12–15 years during the first 2 months of vaccine rollout.     

Socioeconomic Inequalities in COVID-19 Vaccination and Infection in Adults,Catalonia, Spain

Evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout on socioeconomic COVID-19–related inequalities is scarce. We analyzed associations between socioeconomic deprivation index (SDI) and COVID-19 vaccination, infection, and hospitalization before and after vaccine rollout in Catalonia, Spain. We conducted a population-based cohort study during September 2020–June 2021 that comprised 2,297,146 adults >40 years of age. We estimated odds ratio of nonvaccination and hazard ratios (HRs) of infection and hospitalization by SDI quintile relative to the least deprived quintile, Q1. Six months after rollout, vaccination coverage differed by SDI quintile in working-age (40–64 years) persons: 81% for Q1, 71% for Q5. Before rollout, we found a pattern of increased HR of infection and hospitalization with deprivation among working-age and retirement-age (>65 years) persons. After rollout, infection inequalities decreased in both age groups, whereas hospitalization inequalities decreased among retirement-age persons. Our findings suggest that mass vaccination reduced socioeconomic COVID-19–related inequalities.     

Patterns of Virus Exposure and Presumed Household Transmission among Persons with Coronavirus Disease,United States,January–April 2020

We characterized common exposures reported by a convenience sample of 202 US patients with coronavirus disease during January–April 2020 and identified factors associated with presumed household transmission. The most commonly reported settings of known exposure were households and healthcare facilities; among case-patients who had known contact with a confirmed case-patient compared with those who did not, healthcare occupations were more common. Among case-patients without known contact, use of public transportation was more common. Within the household, presumed transmission was highest from older (>65 years) index case-patients and from children to parents, independent of index case-patient age. These findings may inform guidance for limiting transmission and emphasize the value of testing to identify community-acquired infections.     

Effect of Returning University Students on COVID-19 Infections in England, 2020

Each September in England, ≈1 million students relocate to study at universities. To determine COVID-19 cases and outbreaks among university students after their return to university during the COVID pandemic in September 2020, we identified students with COVID-19 (student case-patients) by reviewing contact tracing records identifying attendance at university and residence in student accommodations identified by matching case-patients’ residential addresses with national property databases. We determined COVID-19 rates in towns/cities with and without a university campus. We identified 53,430 student case-patients during September 1–December 31, 2020, which accounted for 2.7% of all cases during this period. Student case-patients increased rapidly after the start of the term, driven initially by cases and outbreaks in student accommodations. Case rates among students 18–23 years of age doubled at the start of term in towns with universities. Our findings highlight the need for face-to-face and control measures to reduce virus transmission.     

咽拭子新型冠状病毒核酸检测的临床价值

 目的 了解某院新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）患者的临床资料及咽拭子检查结果,评价咽拭子新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）核酸检测的临床价值,为临床诊断COVID-19提供参考。方法 回顾性收集中南大学湘雅医院2020年1月23日—2月18日经SARS-CoV-2核酸检测确诊COVID-19患者病历资料,分析患者临床资料、病毒核酸检测的取样次数、取样方法、标本类型、检测手段等信息。结果 28例确诊患者平均年龄（43.78±14.46）岁,男女比例为2.5∶1,46.42%的患者有武汉/湖北旅居史,14.29%的患者与确诊COVID-19患者有密切接触史。患者临床表现以发热（78.57%）、咳嗽（53.57%）为主,实验室检查可见白细胞计数正常（71.43%）,淋巴细胞计数下降（53.57%）,肺部CT呈多发磨玻璃影（92.59%）及斑片影（70.37%）。28例确诊病例中,发病至确诊的中位时间为5.5 d。首次采集标本SARS-CoV-2检测阳性者18例（64.29%）,首次可疑阳性1例;首次阴性（包括可疑阳性）,第二次采集阳性者5例（17.86%）;前两次采集阴性,第三次采集阳性者2例（7.14%）;经四次检测阳性者1例（3.57%）;经五次检测后阳性者2例（7.14%）。鼻/口咽拭子采样26例（92.86%）,诱导排痰2例（7.14%）,经鼻咽拭子、咽拭子、痰标本RT-PCR确诊27例（96.43%）,痰标本NGS测序确诊1例（3.57%）。结论 COVID-19临床常表现有发热及干咳,但无特异性,仍需依赖SARS-CoV-2核酸检测才能确诊。咽拭子作为发热门诊首选的SARS-CoV-2核酸采集方式具有简便易行的优势,但检测结果呈阴性并不能排除SARS-CoV-2感染。     

Symptom Diary–Based Analysis of Disease Course among Patients with Mild Coronavirus Disease,Germany, 2020

Limited information is available on the clinical course of outpatients with mild coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This information is critically important to inform public health prevention strategies and to provide anticipatory guidance to patients, primary care providers, and employers. We retrospectively assessed the daily prevalence of symptoms in 313 COVID-19 outpatients for the first 20 days of illness. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the probability of symptom occurrence over time. Fatigue (91%), cough (85%), and headache (78%) were the most common symptoms and occurred a median of 1 day from symptom onset. Neurologic symptoms, such as loss of taste (66%) and anosmia (62%), and dyspnea (51%) occurred considerably later (median 3–4 days after symptom onset). Symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to those of other respiratory pathogens, so symptomatic patients should be tested more frequently for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 during influenza season to prevent further spread of COVID-19.     

14例新型冠状病毒肺炎病例流行病学和临床特征

 

目的 了解新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）确诊病例、排除病例的流行病学特征及临床特征,为临床诊疗提供建议。方法 将某院留观的COVID-19疑似患者,新型冠状病毒（2019-nCoV）核酸检测阳性的患者列为确诊病例组（确诊组）,2019-nCov核酸检测至少二次阴性,经上海市静安区专家组会诊后予以排除的患者列为排除病例组（排除组）,比较两组患者在流行病学、 临床表现、实验室检查以及影像学资料方面的差异。结果 确诊组14例 患者中,男女性别比1.33∶1,年龄中位数为 51.5（38.3,63.0）岁,有明确流行病学史的10例（71.43%）;排除组 84例患者中,男女性别比0.95∶1,年龄中位数37（29.0,59.75）岁,有明确流行病学史的14例（16.67%）;两组在年龄分布、流行病学史上差异均有统计学意义（均P<0.05）,在性别、居住地分布以及临床表现上差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。确诊组白细胞正常或降低的患者数占比高于排除组（92.86% VS 72.62%）,差异有统计学意义（P<0.001）,淋巴细胞百分比减少的患者数占比低于排除组（P=0.001）。两组胸部CT结果比较,确诊组患者磨玻璃样渗出影、斑片渗出影等改变所占的比例高于排除组患者,差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）;确诊组患者由散在或多发肺炎进展为 磨玻璃样肺炎的中位时间为3（2,5）d。结论 患者年龄、明确的流行病学史、白细胞计数、淋巴 细胞百分比,肺部磨玻璃样等CT表现是 COVID-19的特征因素,临床医生在诊疗时应加以甄别,进一步提高 COVID-19诊断的准确性。