The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and other public health outcomes during the BA.2/BA.2.12.1 surge, New York City, April-May 2022

Article Immunology

Estimating the Period Prevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection During the Omicron (BA.1) Surge in New York City (NYC), 1 January to 16 March 2022

Saba A. Qasmieh et al.

Summary: In a population-based survey of adults in New York City, it was found that an estimated 27.4% of adults were infected with SARS-CoV-2 between January and March 2022.

CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES (2023)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Identifying and Alleviating Bias Due to Differential Depletion of Susceptible People in Postmarketing Evaluations of COVID-19 Vaccines

Rebecca Kahn et al.

Summary: Recent studies have investigated the declining efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines over time and the potential bias caused by differential depletion of susceptible individuals between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Serological testing can help correct this bias by identifying individuals with prior infection. The findings suggest that observed declines in vaccine effectiveness are not solely due to spurious waning, but bias may exist for leaky vaccines and should be adjusted for by excluding individuals with past infection.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (2022)

Add to Collection

Editorial Material Multidisciplinary Sciences

Tracking COVID-19 infections: time for change

Natalie Dean

NATURE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Molnupiravir for Oral Treatment of Covid-19 in Nonhospitalized Patients

A. Jayk Bernal et al.

Summary: This study found that early treatment with molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in at-risk, unvaccinated adults with Covid-19.

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Letter Medicine, General & Internal

Efficacy of Antibodies and Antiviral Drugs against Covid-19 Omicron Variant

Emi Takashita et al.

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, General & Internal

Oral Nirmatrelvir for High-Risk, Nonhospitalized Adults with Covid-19

Jennifer Hammond et al.

Summary: In high-risk, unvaccinated adults, treatment of Covid-19 with nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalization and death, with good safety profile.

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Rapid increase in Omicron infections in England during December 2021: REACT-1 study

Paul Elliott et al.

Summary: The unprecedented increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections, particularly due to the Omicron variant, during December 2021 has been observed in England and globally. This study analyzed the prevalence and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in England from late November to mid-December 2021 among nearly 100,000 participants in the REACT-1 study. The results showed a high prevalence and rapid growth of infections, particularly in London, with an increasing proportion of Omicron cases. Vaccination and booster campaigns are crucial in controlling the spread of the virus, although additional measures have been necessary to control the rapid growth of the Omicron variant.

SCIENCE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Multidisciplinary Sciences

Relative infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine breakthrough infections, reinfections, and primary infections

Laith J. Abu-Raddad et al.

Summary: The viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections and reinfections are generally lower than primary infections in unvaccinated individuals, indicating potentially lower infectiousness. COVID-19 vaccines not only protect against acquisition of infection but also appear to protect against transmission.

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in New York metropolitan area: the view from a major urgent care provider

Madhura S. Rane et al.

Summary: This study investigated SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity trends among 2.8 million patients in the New York metropolitan area, with higher testing levels observed in 20-29-year-olds, non-Hispanic White, and female patients. The study found higher RT-PCR positivity rates in non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Native American patients compared to non-Hispanic White patients, with an overall seropositivity rate of 22.1%.

ANNALS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Effects of BA.1/BA.2 subvariant, vaccination and prior infection on infectiousness of SARS-CoV-2 omicron infections

Suelen H. Qassim et al.

JOURNAL OF TRAVEL MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Infectious viral load in unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals infected with ancestral, Delta or Omicron SARS-CoV-2

Olha Puhach et al.

Summary: The infectious viral load of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 is lower than that of Delta in breakthrough infections of vaccinated individuals. Vaccines may lower transmission risk and have a public health benefit.

NATURE MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Editorial Material Medicine, General & Internal

The UK's covid-19 data collection has been world beating-let's not throw it away

Jennifer Beam Dowd

BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Critical Care Medicine

Durability of BNT162b2 vaccine against hospital and emergency department admissions due to the omicron and delta variants in a large health system in the USA: a test-negative case-control study

Sara Y. Tartof et al.

Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness and durability of two and three doses of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine against hospital and emergency department admissions due to the delta and omicron variants. The results showed that three doses of the vaccine provided high protection against both variants in the first 3 months after vaccination, but waning was observed against the omicron variant after 3 months. Additional doses of vaccines might be needed to maintain high levels of protection against future variants.

LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Environmental Sciences

Evaluation of a Wastewater-Based Epidemiological Approach to Estimate the Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Infections and the Detection of Viral Variants in Disparate Oregon Communities at City and Neighborhood Scales

Blythe A. Layton et al.

Summary: Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations can provide better estimations for SARS-CoV-2 community prevalence than reported cases of COVID-19. Wastewater-based epidemiology methods can identify neighborhood-level COVID-19 hotspots and SARS-CoV-2 variants.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

The Importance of Incorporating At-Home Testing Into SARS-CoV-2 Point Prevalence Estimates: Findings From a US National Cohort, February 2022

Saba A. Qasmieh et al.

Summary: The objective of this study is to ascertain the extent to which cases of SARS-CoV-2 may be underestimated by case-based surveillance. The findings suggest a substantial number of cases were missed by case-based surveillance systems during the Omicron B.1.1.529 surge.

JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Dispensing of Oral Antiviral Drugs for Treatment of COVID-19 by Zip Code–Level Social Vulnerability — United States, December 23, 2021–May 21, 2022

Jeremy A.W. Gold et al.

MMWR-MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WEEKLY REPORT (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Exposure, Disease Susceptibility, and Clinical Outcomes during COVID-19 Pandemic in National Cohort of Adults, United States

McKaylee M. Robertson et al.

Summary: This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in COVID-19 seroconversion and hospitalization. The findings showed that Hispanic and Black non-Hispanic participants had higher exposure risk and difficulty in accessing healthcare, and participants with more exposure and susceptibility had higher odds of seroconversion and hospitalization. The study highlighted the importance of addressing disparities in exposure, vaccination, and treatment for COVID-19 among different racial/ethnic groups.

EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (2022)

Add to Collection

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Adapting Survey Data Collection to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences From a Local Health Department

Amber Levanon Seligson et al.

Summary: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted routine surveys to describe the health of NYC residents and adapted existing surveys to incorporate measures of racial inequities. These survey data have played a significant role in informing the emergency response in NYC to address COVID-19 and the profound inequities of the pandemic.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH (2021)

Add to Collection

Review Medicine, General & Internal

The Proportion of SARS-CoV-2 Infections That Are Asymptomatic A Systematic Review

Daniel P. Oran et al.

Summary: Available data suggests that at least one third of SARS-CoV-2 infections are asymptomatic. Longitudinal studies indicate that nearly three quarters of individuals who test positive via PCR but show no symptoms at the time of testing will remain asymptomatic. Control strategies for COVID-19 need to be adjusted considering the prevalence and transmission risk of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections.

ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Immunology

Population-Based Estimates of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)-like Illness, COVID-19 Illness, and Rates of Case Ascertainment, Hospitalizations, and Deaths-Noninstitutionalized New York City Residents, March-April 2020

Karen A. Alroy et al.

Summary: Approximately 930,000 New York City residents had COVID-19 illness during the period from March to April 2020, with varying numbers of those tested, hospitalized, and deceased.

CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Medicine, Research & Experimental

The COVID-19 Self-Testing through Rapid Network Distribution (C-STRAND) trial: A randomized controlled trial to increase COVID-19 testing in underserved populations

Cedric H. Bien-Gund et al.

Summary: This study aims to increase COVID-19 testing rates among underserved populations through a secondary distribution strategy. Participants will be randomized into two groups, one receiving self-collection test kits and the other receiving referrals for clinic-based tests.

CONTEMPORARY CLINICAL TRIALS (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Infectious Diseases

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies 6 months into the vaccination campaign in Geneva, Switzerland, 1 June to 7 July 2021

Silvia Stringhini et al.

Summary: The study found that most of the population has developed anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, with teenagers and children remaining vulnerable to infection. Seroprevalence estimates varied significantly across age groups, and participants with higher educational levels had higher antibody seroprevalence rates.

EUROSURVEILLANCE (2021)

Add to Collection

Editorial Material Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

A Geography of Risk: Structural Racism and Coronavirus Disease 2019 Mortality in the United States

Lauren C. Zalla et al.

Summary: This commentary discusses the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States, criticizing the emphasis on geography in influencing disease mortality rates and proposing recommendations for estimating racial disparities based on risk rather than distribution.

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (2021)

Add to Collection

Review Medicine, General & Internal

Global Percentage of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among the Tested Population and Individuals With Confirmed COVID-19 Diagnosis A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Qiuyue Ma et al.

Summary: This study evaluated the percentage of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections among individuals undergoing testing and those with confirmed COVID-19. The results showed the presence of asymptomatic infections in both populations.

JAMA NETWORK OPEN (2021)

Add to Collection

Article Biology

Exploring surveillance data biases when estimating the reproduction number: with insights into subpopulation transmission of COVID-19 in England

Katharine Sherratt et al.

Summary: This study examined the sensitivity of R-t estimates to different data sources for COVID-19 in England and explored how this sensitivity could track epidemic dynamics in population subgroups. The findings showed variations in transmission potential estimates from different data sources, potentially linked to biased representations of subpopulations in each source. It was highlighted that policymakers could better target interventions by considering the source populations of R-t estimates.

PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (2021)

Add to Collection

Editorial Material Medicine, General & Internal