Taiwan ended third COVID-19 community outbreak as forecasted
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Wu Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC10951404 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC10911057 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundTaiwan faced a surge of COVID-19 infections in May 2021. Because new cases were quickly increasing, parents called for school closures. A national parent group used an online survey to collect opinions about upcoming school closings planned by the Ministry of Education. This study evaluated the results of the survey for all respondents and investigated the level of viral transmission following school closures among students in Taiwan.MethodsAn online survey titled "Survey of Opinions of School Closures during the Current COVID-19 Outbreak" (SOSC-COVID-19) was designed by the national parent association and then distributed to members of the community throughout Taiwan via local parent groups from May 17 to 18, 2021. The survey included an open-ended respondents' opinions about school closures. Differences among regions and socioeconomic scores (SES) were analyzed with chi-square tests.ResultsA total of 8,703 completed survey forms data were analyzed. Nearly all respondents (7,973, 91.6%) approved of school closures; there were no differences of opinions inside and outside municipalities or by regional SES scores. Only 8.4% of respondents were opposed to any type of school closure, believing parents should decide whether their child attended school, which also did not vary with region or SES score. Qualitative feedback from parent and teacher responders indicated students' health and economic impacts were additional concerns that influenced their choice of whether the government or parents should decide about school closures. On the afternoon of May 18, 2021, the government of Taiwan closed all schools. Although a spike in new cases of COVID-19 occurred among students 10 days after school closures, over the next 40 days new cases declined, falling to zero by July 5th.ConclusionsDespite the inability of nationwide school closures to completely halt transmission of the virus within families during the COVID-19 outbreak, school closures helped to impede transmission between students.
| S-EPMC8966014 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIt is hypothesized that anxiety and behavioral responses are intense at the beginning of an epidemic. The objective of this study was to investigate anxiety symptoms and use of preventive measures against COVID-19. The study also compared the association between preventive measures and anxiety symptoms during the week immediately preceding the study and those symptoms and measures at the beginning of the outbreak.MethodsA cross-sectional population survey using an online questionnaire commenced on 14 February 2020. The study participants were residents of Taiwan ages 20 to 70 years. The 6-item state version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-6) was used to assess anxiety symptoms. The questions about preventive measures asked participants about their personal protection, cough etiquette, contact precautions, voluntary quarantine, and prompt reporting. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the factors influencing an increase in the preventive measures scores.ResultsOf a total of 3555 completed responses, a total of 52.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 50.4-53.7) of the respondents reported moderate to severe levels of anxiety symptoms in the past week, whereas 48.8% (95%CI 47.2-50.5) reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms at the beginning of the outbreak. With a higher score indicating greater anxiety, the median scores for anxiety symptoms in the past week and at the beginning of the outbreak were 46.7 (IQR [interquartile range] 36.7-53.3) and 43.3 (IQR 36.7-53.3), respectively. The median scores for the preventive measures taken in the past week and at the beginning of the outbreak were 26.0 (IQR 21.0-30.0) and 24.0 (IQR 19.0-28.0), respectively, out of a maximum score of 36. In the multivariable analysis, an increased anxiety symptom score from the beginning of the outbreak to the past week (adjusted OR = 7.38, 95%CI 6.28-8.66) was a strongly significant determinant of an increased preventive measures score in the past week compared with the score at the beginning of the outbreak.ConclusionsAnxiety and preventive measures scores were high and increased with the epidemic rate. Higher anxiety was associated with an increased use of preventive measures against COVID-19.
| S-EPMC7364127 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Dialyzed patients are vulnerable to coronavirus infection disease 2019 (COVID-19). The incidence and outcome of COVID-19 in hemodialysis (HD) patients in Taiwan remain unclear. A series of preventive measures were executed to combat COVID-19 transmission among HD patients. We carried out a series of forward-looking and practical preventive strategies of COVID-19 control in our HD center. Incidences of COVID-19 of our HD unit were compared with those of national and local estimates from a community outbreak from 15 May to 30 June 2021. Prognostic factors associated with mortality were analyzed. The national incidence of COVID-19 was 0.062%; being highest in Taipei City (0.173%), followed by New Taipei City (0.161%) and Keelung (0.083%). The overall incidence in Keelung HD patients was 0.666%. One patient of our HD center contracted COVID-19 from the household; however, we have contained secondary transmission in our HD center by implementing strict preventive measures. The mortality rate of HD patients in Keelung was 66.6%. The median Ct value of HD patients was 17.53 (11.75-27.90) upon diagnosis. The deceased patients had a higher cardiac/thoracic ratio than alive (0.61 vs. 0.55, p = 0.036). Taking aggressive and proactive infection preventive measures impedes the secondary transmission of COVID-19 in HD facilities. COVID-19-associated mortality was high in HD patients, being the high cardiac-thoracic ratio, an important prognostic factor for clinical outcome of infected HD patients.
| S-EPMC8467394 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Latvian SARS-CoV-2 isolate genetic diveristy
| PRJEB40188 | ENA
Project description:Background/objectivesThis study aimed to assess the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of various SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and compare their protective effects against COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the Omicron outbreak in Taiwan.MethodsConducted from March 2021 to July 2023, this prospective observational study included healthy HCWs without prior COVID-19 immunization. Participants chose between adenovirus-vectored (AstraZeneca), mRNA (Moderna, BioNTech-Pfizer), and protein-based (Medigen, Novavax) vaccines. Blood samples were taken at multiple points to measure neutralizing antibody (nAb) titers, and adverse events (AEs) were recorded via questionnaires.ResultsOf 710 HCWs, 668 (94.1%) completed three doses, and 290 (40.8%) received a fourth dose during the Omicron outbreak. AEs were more common with AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines, while Medigen caused fewer AEs. Initial nAb titers were highest with Moderna but waned over time regardless of the vaccine. Booster doses significantly increased nAb titers, with the highest levels observed in Moderna BA1 recipients. The fourth dose significantly reduced COVID-19 incidence, with Moderna BA1 being the most effective.ConclusionsRegular booster doses, especially with mRNA and adjuvant-protein vaccines, effectively enhance nAb levels and reduce infection rates, providing critical protection for frontline HCWs during variant outbreaks.
| S-EPMC11435596 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-associated Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was an outbreak in December, 2019 and rapidly spread to the world. All variants of SARS-CoV-2, including the globally and currently dominant Delta variant (Delta-SARS-CoV-2), caused severe disease and mortality. Among all variants, Delta-SARS-CoV-2 had the highest transmissibility, growth rate, and secondary attack rate than other variants except for the new variant of Omicron that still exists with many unknown effects. In Taiwan, the pandemic Delta-SARS-CoV-2 began in Pingtung from 14 June 2021 and ceased at 11 July 2021. Seventeen patients were infected by Delta-SARS-CoV-2 and 1 person died during the Pingtung outbreak. The Public Health Bureau of Pingtung County Government stopped the Delta-SARS-CoV-2 outbreak within 1 month through measures such as epidemic investigation, rapid gene sequencing, rapidly expanding isolation, expanded screening of the Delta-SARS-CoV-2 antigen for people who lived in regional villages, and indirect intervention, including rapid vaccination, short lockdown period, and travel restrictions. Indirect environmental factors, such as low levels of air pollution, tropic weather in the summer season, and rural areas might have accelerated the ability to control the Delta-SARS-CoV-2 spread. This successful experience might be recommended as a successful formula for the unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated regions.
| S-EPMC8834902 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundStudies from Western countries indicated that older adults were more resilient than younger ones to deteriorating mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. As high late-life suicide rates have been reported in East Asia, it is possible that the pandemic impact might differ between East and West. We investigated the pandemic impact on age-specific suicide patterns in Taiwan.MethodsInterrupted time-series analysis was used to model the overall, and age-stratified, monthly suicide rates before (January 1st, 2017 to December 31st, 2019) and after (January 1st 2020 to December 31st 2021) the COVID-19 outbreak. Associations between confirmed COVID-19 deaths and suicide rates were also assessed.ResultsThere was a significant decrease in overall suicide rates after the COVID-19 outbreak (p < 0.01) (annual average rates per 100,000 population of 16.4 prior, 15.2 after). The overall decrease was driven by fewer suicide deaths in the young- and older-middle-aged groups (25-44 and 45-64 years). However suicide rates in younger-age group (<25 years) were already increasing pre-pandemic, a trend which continued after the outbreak. Suicide rates for older people (≥65 years) also increased along with the increasing number of COVID-19 deaths during the pandemic period.LimitationsUnder-reporting and/or misclassification of suicides were possible.ConclusionsThe overall suicide rates in Taiwan did not change after the COVID-19 outbreak; however, suicide in older adults increased. Public health measures to reduce COVID-19 infections may have unintended and adverse consequences on the psychological wellbeing of older citizens.
| S-EPMC9898058 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major burden of disease in babies and young children, including hospitalizations and deaths. RSV is a seasonal disease that peaks when temperatures decrease in temperate zones and humidity increases in tropical regions. Existing research reveals that RSV hospitalization activity is year-round in Taiwan, which is a subtropical region with small peaks in spring and fall. The monthly distribution and COVID-19 pandemic impact were unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate Taiwan's RSV hospitalization seasonality and the COVID-19 pandemic effects. The National Health Insurance Database and Death Registration Files from the Center for Health and Welfare Data Science Center were connected to birth data for this study. RSV hospitalization (RSVH) in infants aged 0-1 years ranged from 0.9518% (2009) to 1.7113% (2020), substantially higher than in children aged 1-5. Most years had 2 or 3 RSV epidemic seasons in 0-5-year-olds over the 13-year follow-up. RSVH incidence was low until the autumn of 2020, when a major rise occurred after September and lasted until December 2020. We detected RSVH peaks in February-May and July-August. The 2020 RSV outbreak was found at the end of 2020.
| S-EPMC10137034 | biostudies-literature