Comment on the virus watch community cohort study about glasses and risk of COVID-19 transmission.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Guo Q
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10308226 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Comment on "the virus watch community cohort study about glasses and risk of COVID-19 transmission".
Guo Qiang Q Xu Jianjun J Wei Yiping Y
Asian journal of surgery 20230629 11
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Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC10555858 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMigrants in the United Kingdom (UK) may be at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure; however, little is known about their risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisation during waves 1-3 of the pandemic.MethodsWe analysed secondary care data linked to Virus Watch study data for adults and estimated COVID-19-related hospitalisation incidence rates by migration status. To estimate the total effect of migration status on COVID-19 hospitalisation rates, we ran mixed-effect Poisson regression for wave 1 (01/03/2020-31/08/2020; wildtype), and mixed-effect negative binomial regressions for waves 2 (01/09/2020-31/05/2021; Alpha) and 3 (01/06/2020-31/11/2021; Delta). Results of all models were then meta-analysed.ResultsOf 30,276 adults in the analyses, 26,492 (87.5 %) were UK-born and 3,784 (12.5 %) were migrants. COVID-19-related hospitalisation incidence rates for UK-born and migrant individuals across waves 1-3 were 2.7 [95 % CI 2.2-3.2], and 4.6 [3.1-6.7] per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Pooled incidence rate ratios across waves suggested increased rate of COVID-19-related hospitalisation in migrants compared to UK-born individuals in unadjusted 1.68 [1.08-2.60] and adjusted analyses 1.35 [0.71-2.60].ConclusionOur findings suggest migration populations in the UK have excess risk of COVID-19-related hospitalisations and underscore the need for more equitable interventions particularly aimed at COVID-19 vaccination uptake among migrants.
| S-EPMC10978526 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is among the worst in recent history, resulting in excess of 520,000,000 cases and 6,200,000 deaths worldwide. The United States (U.S.) has recently surpassed 1,000,000 deaths. Individuals who are elderly and/or immunocompromised are the most susceptible to serious sequelae. Rising sentiment often implicates younger, less-vulnerable populations as primary introducers of COVID-19 to communities, particularly around colleges and universities. Adjusting for more than 32 key socio-demographic, economic, and epidemiologic variables, we (1) implemented regressions to determine the overall community-level, age-adjusted COVID-19 case and mortality rate within each American county, and (2) performed a subgroup analysis among a sample of U.S. colleges and universities to identify any significant preliminary mitigation measures implemented during the fall 2020 semester. From January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021, a total of 22,385,335 cases and 374,130 deaths were reported to the CDC. Overall, counties with increasing numbers of university enrollment showed significantly lower case rates and marginal decreases in mortality rates. County-level population demographics, and not university level mitigation measures, were the most significant predictor of adjusted COVID-19 case rates. Contrary to common sentiment, our findings demonstrate that counties with high university enrollments may be more adherent to public safety measures and vaccinations, likely contributing to safer communities.
| S-EPMC9875777 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-BSST563 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundOccupational disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake can impact the effectiveness of vaccination programmes and introduce particular risk for vulnerable workers and those with high workplace exposure. This study aimed to investigate COVID-19 vaccine uptake by occupation, including for vulnerable groups and by occupational exposure status.MethodsWe used data from employed or self-employed adults who provided occupational information as part of the Virus Watch prospective cohort study (n = 19,595) and linked this to study-obtained information about vulnerability-relevant characteristics (age, medical conditions, obesity status) and work-related COVID-19 exposure based on the Job Exposure Matrix. Participant vaccination status for the first, second, and third dose of any COVID-19 vaccine was obtained based on linkage to national records and study records. We calculated proportions and Sison-Glaz multinomial 95% confidence intervals for vaccine uptake by occupation overall, by vulnerability-relevant characteristics, and by job exposure.FindingsVaccination uptake across occupations ranged from 89-96% for the first dose, 87-94% for the second dose, and 75-86% for the third dose, with transport, trade, service and sales workers persistently demonstrating the lowest uptake. Vulnerable workers tended to demonstrate fewer between-occupational differences in uptake than non-vulnerable workers, although clinically vulnerable transport workers (76%-89% across doses) had lower uptake than several other occupational groups (maximum across doses 86%-96%). Workers with low SARS-CoV-2 exposure risk had higher vaccine uptake (86%-96% across doses) than those with elevated or high risk (81-94% across doses).InterpretationDifferential vaccination uptake by occupation, particularly amongst vulnerable and highly-exposed workers, is likely to worsen occupational and related socioeconomic inequalities in infection outcomes. Further investigation into occupational and non-occupational factors influencing differential uptake is required to inform relevant interventions for future COVID-19 booster rollouts and similar vaccination programmes.
| S-EPMC9637514 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveSince the outbreak of COVID-19, public health and social measures to contain its transmission (e.g., social distancing and lockdowns) have dramatically changed people's lives in rural and urban areas globally. To facilitate future management of the pandemic, it is important to understand how different socio-demographic groups adhere to such demands. This study aims to evaluate the influences of restriction policies on human mobility variations associated with socio-demographic groups in England, UK.MethodsUsing mobile phone global positioning system (GPS) trajectory data, we measured variations in human mobility across socio-demographic groups during different restriction periods from Oct 14, 2020 to Sep 15, 2021. The six restriction periods which varied in degree of mobility restriction policies, denoted as "Three-tier Restriction," "Second National Lockdown," "Four-tier Restriction," "Third National Lockdown," "Steps out of Lockdown," and "Post-restriction," respectively. Individual human mobility was measured with respect to the time period people stayed at home, visited places outside the home, and traveled long distances. We compared these indicators across the six restriction periods and across socio-demographic groups.ResultsAll human mobility indicators significantly differed across the six restriction periods, and the influences of restriction policies on individual mobility behaviors are correlated with socio-demographic groups. In particular, influences relating to mobility behaviors are stronger in younger and low-income groups in the second and third national lockdowns.ConclusionsThis study enhances our understanding of the influences of COVID-19 pandemic restriction policies on human mobility behaviors within different social groups in England. The findings can be usefully extended to support policy-making by investigating human mobility and differences in policy effects across not only age and income groups, but also across geographical regions.
| S-EPMC9623896 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundVaccination intention is key to the success of any vaccination programme, alongside vaccine availability and access. Public intention to take a COVID-19 vaccine is high in England and Wales compared to other countries, but vaccination rate disparities between ethnic, social and age groups has led to concern.MethodsOnline survey of prospective household community cohort study participants across England and Wales (Virus Watch). Vaccination intention was measured by individual participant responses to 'Would you accept a COVID-19 vaccine if offered?', collected in December 2020 and February 2021. Responses to a 13-item questionnaire collected in January 2021 were analysed using factor analysis to investigate psychological influences on vaccination intention.ResultsSurvey response rate was 56% (20,785/36,998) in December 2020 and 53% (20,590/38,727) in February 2021, with 14,880 adults reporting across both time points. In December 2020, 1,469 (10%) participants responded 'No' or 'Unsure'. Of these people, 1,266 (86%) changed their mind and responded 'Yes' or 'Already had a COVID-19 vaccine' by February 2021. Vaccination intention increased across all ethnic groups and levels of social deprivation. Age was most strongly associated with vaccination intention, with 16-24-year-olds more likely to respond "Unsure" or "No" versus "Yes" than 65-74-year-olds in December 2020 (OR: 4.63, 95 %CI: 3.42, 6.27 & OR 7.17 95 %CI: 4.26, 12.07 respectively) and February 2021 (OR: 27.92 95 %CI: 13.79, 56.51 & OR 17.16 95 %CI: 4.12, 71.55). The association between ethnicity and vaccination intention weakened, but did not disappear, over time. Both vaccine- and illness-related psychological factors were shown to influence vaccination intention.ConclusionsFour in five adults (86%) who were reluctant or intending to refuse a COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020 had changed their mind in February 2021 and planned to accept, or had already accepted, a vaccine.
| S-EPMC8498741 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Many organizations, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have developed risk indexes to help determine community transmission levels for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These risk indexes are largely based on newly reported cases and percentage of positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic nucleic acid amplification tests, which are well-established as biased estimates of COVID-19 transmission. However, transmission risk indexes should accurately and precisely communicate community risks to decision-makers and the public. Therefore, transmission risk indexes would ideally quantify actual, and not just reported, levels of disease prevalence or incidence. Here, we develop a robust data-driven framework for determining and communicating community transmission risk levels using reported cases and test positivity. We use this framework to evaluate the previous CDC community risk level metrics that were proposed as guidelines for determining COVID-19 transmission risk at community level in the US. Using two recently developed data-driven models for COVID-19 transmission in the US to compute community-level prevalence, we show that there is substantial overlap of prevalence between the different community risk levels from the previous CDC guidelines. Using our proposed framework, we redefined the risk levels and their threshold values. We show that these threshold values would have substantially reduced the overlaps of underlying community prevalence between counties/states in different community risk levels between 3/19/2020-9/9/2021. Our study demonstrates how the previous CDC community risk level indexes could have been calibrated to infection prevalence to improve their power to accurately determine levels of COVID-19 transmission in local communities across the US. This method can be used to inform the design of future COVID-19 transmission risk indexes.
| S-EPMC9595424 | biostudies-literature
Project description:On 11 March 2020 the SARS-CoV-2 virus was officially declared a pandemic and measures were set up in various countries to avoid its spread among the population. This paper aims to analyse the perception of risk of COVID-19 infection in the Spanish population. A cross-sectional, descriptive observational study was conducted with a total of 16,372 Spanish participants. An online survey was used to gather data for 5 consecutive days over the compulsory lockdown period which was established after the state of emergency was declared. There is an association between socio-demographic variables and risk perception, and a very strong relationship between this perception and contact and direct experience with the virus in a family, social or professional setting. We also found that compared to working from home, working outside the home increased the perception of risk of infection and the perception of worsening health. Understanding the public perception of the risk of COVID-19 infection is fundamental for establishing effective prevention measures.
| S-EPMC7731328 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundWorkplaces are an important potential source of SARS-CoV-2 exposure; however, investigation into workplace contact patterns is lacking. This study aimed to investigate how workplace attendance and features of contact varied between occupations across the COVID-19 pandemic in England.MethodsData were obtained from electronic contact diaries (November 2020-November 2021) submitted by employed/self-employed prospective cohort study participants (n=4,616). We used mixed models to investigate the effects of occupation and time for: workplace attendance, number of people sharing workspace, time spent sharing workspace, number of close contacts, and usage of face coverings.FindingsWorkplace attendance and contact patterns varied across occupations and time. The predicted probability of intense space sharing during the day was highest for healthcare (78% [95% CI: 75-81%]) and education workers (64% [59%-69%]), who also had the highest probabilities for larger numbers of close contacts (36% [32%-40%] and 38% [33%-43%] respectively). Education workers also demonstrated relatively low predicted probability (51% [44%-57%]) of wearing a face covering during close contact. Across all occupational groups, workspace sharing and close contact increased and usage of face coverings decreased during phases of less stringent restrictions.InterpretationMajor variations in workplace contact patterns and mask use likely contribute to differential COVID-19 risk. Patterns of variation by occupation and restriction phase may inform interventions for future waves of COVID-19 or other respiratory epidemics. Across occupations, increasing workplace contact and reduced face covering usage is concerning given ongoing high levels of community transmission and emergence of variants.FundingMedical Research Council; HM Government; Wellcome Trust.
| S-EPMC9023315 | biostudies-literature