Articles: sars-cov-2.
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Ethnic minority groups in England have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have lower vaccination rates than the White British population. We examined whether ethnic differences in COVID-19 mortality in England have continued since the vaccine rollout and to what extent differences in vaccination rates contributed to excess COVID-19 mortality after accounting for other risk factors. ⋯ Lower COVID-19 vaccination uptake in several ethnic minority groups may drive some of the differences in COVID-19 mortality compared to White British. Public health strategies to increase vaccination uptake in ethnic minority groups would help reduce inequalities in COVID-19 mortality, which have remained substantial since the start of the vaccination campaign.
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Current evidence suggests that intrathoracic gas effusions (pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax) may be observed among COVID-19 patients even without mechanical ventilation. Here, we report 9 patients who developed spontaneous intrathoracic gas effusions in the absence of mechanical ventilation. The incidence of spontaneous intrathoracic gas effusions is low at 0.5% in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the absence of respiratory support. ⋯ Intrathoracic effusions may also be signs of COVID-19 with varying prognoses, or even the only presentation of the disease. This should be considered in clinical practice, and doctors are encouraged to request a SARS-CoV-2 test in this situation. Further investigations with a larger sample size are needed to identify the prognostic factors in COVID-19 patients with gas effusions.
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Statin therapy might have a beneficial prognostic effect in patients with COVID-19, given its immunomodulative, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic properties. Our purpose was to test this hypothesis by using the COVID-19 registry of a Spanish university hospital. ⋯ Our study showed a significant association between previous treatment with statins and lower mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The observed prognostic benefit was greater in patients with previous coronary or extracardiac atherosclerotic disease.
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Unlike other communal living environments (universities, boarding schools, and camps) that have been suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, the deployed military force must continue its mission. Early challenges in the 2020 deployed environment included limited availability of living and quarantine space and limited testing capacity. This is a brief report of stringent quarantine strategies employed to newly arriving cohorts at a NATO and U.S. military base to prevent release of SARS-CoV-2 into a larger base population. ⋯ Quarantine creates significant strain on resources in a deployed environment. Group quarantine facilities where social distancing is limited allow for the possibility for intra-quarantine transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Ideally, PCR testing is done upon entry into quarantine and upon exit. With the possibility of false-negative PCR or limited PCR testing, we recommend daily symptom screening, pulse oximetry, temperature checks, and small quarantine groups that must "graduate" together-all meeting exit criteria. Any introduction of new individual, even with negative testing, to a group increases risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.Upon exit of quarantine, testing should be performed, regardless of entry testing. If PCR is limited, serology testing should be done, followed by PCR, if positive. Serology testing can be combined with clinical judgment to conserve PCR testing for quarantine release of asymptomatic individuals.