International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2021
The characteristics of 527 discharged COVID-19 patients undergoing long-term follow-up in China.
Almost a year after the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many hospitalized COVID-19 patients have recovered. However, little is known about the long-term follow-up (> 2 months) of discharged patients. ⋯ A total of 6.1% of 527 discharged patients showed RP status, which may be easier to be identified from stool samples than from other samples. Given the dropping rate of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, reinfection may happen, especially in juvenile patients (aged<18 years). These findings have implications for the long-term management of recovered COVID-19 patients.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2021
Reprocessing of N95 masks: Experience from a resource-limited setting in India.
Due to the surge in demand for N95 masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, and considering the situation in countries grappling with acute shortages of N95 masks, this study investigated the possibilities of decontamination and reuse of masks. ⋯ Plasma sterilization is recommended for decontamination of N95 masks in low-resource settings. ETO is not recommended due to hazards associated with handling of ethylene oxide, although the filtering efficiency was retained. Since the UV irradiation method showed variations in results, evaluation of UV decontamination for N95 masks needs to be performed on a case-by-case basis.
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Int. J. Infect. Dis. · Mar 2021
Comparative StudyComparison of the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea: Importance of early public health intervention.
To compare epidemiologic features of the second and third waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea. ⋯ Early and timely interventions with strengthened social distancing policies should be implemented to suppress and control the COVID-19 pandemic effectively.