Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID in US adults during the BA.4/BA.5 surge, June-July 2022.
Due to changes in SARS-CoV-2 testing practices, passive case-based surveillance may be an increasingly unreliable indicator for monitoring the burden of SARS-CoV-2, especially during surges. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a population-representative sample of 3042 U. S. adults between June 30 and July 2, 2022, during the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 surge. ⋯ SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was also higher among those with lower income (aPR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5, 2.3), lower education (aPR 3.7 95% CI 3.0,4.7), and those with comorbidities (aPR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4, 2.0). An estimated 21.5% (95% CI 18.2, 24.7) of respondents with a SARS-CoV-2 infection >4 weeks prior reported long COVID symptoms. The inequitable distribution of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence during the BA.4/BA.5 surge will likely drive inequities in the future burden of long COVID.
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Eur. J. Clin. Invest. · Apr 2023
Estimates of COVID-19 deaths in Mainland China after abandoning zero COVID policy.
China witnessed a surge of Omicron infections after abandoning 'zero COVID' strategies on 7 December 2022. The authorities report very sparse deaths based on very restricted criteria, but massive deaths are speculated. ⋯ The most critical factor that can affect total COVID-19 fatalities in China is the extent to which the elderly can be protected.
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and impaired kidney function are associated with a higher risk of poor outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We conducted a retrospective study in hospitalized T2DM patients with COVID-19 to assess the association between in-hospital mortality and admission values of different hematological/biochemical parameters, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), plasma glucose and C-peptide (the latter serving as a marker of beta-cell function). ⋯ Admission eGFR and WBC count predict in-hospital COVID-19 mortality among T2DM patients, independently of traditional risk factors, APG and random plasma C-peptide. Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and comorbid T2DM associated with impaired kidney function at admission should be considered at high risk for adverse outcomes and death.
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There is growing scientific interest in immunity mandates/passports (IMP) for viral diseases in light of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. IMP isolate those who remain nonimmune from various settings to reduce nonhousehold transmissions from the nonimmune and reduce severe/critical illness among the nonimmune. ⋯ We use data from the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to demonstrate the properties and utility of the NNI and to inform the debate about IMP. We focus on data from the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and Israel during the fall 2021 when the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant predominated.
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Compared to white individuals, Black and Hispanic individuals have higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization and death. Less is known about racial/ethnic differences in post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). ⋯ Compared to white patients, patients from racial/ethnic minority groups had significantly different odds of developing potential PASC symptoms and conditions. Future research should examine the reasons for these differences.