The potential impact of a recent measles epidemic on COVID-19 in Samoa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The pandemic of COVID-19 has occurred close on the heels of a global resurgence of measles. In 2019, an unprecedented epidemic of measles affected Samoa, requiring a state of emergency to be declared. Measles causes an immune amnesia which can persist for over 2 years after acute infection and increases the risk of a range of other infections.

Methods

We modelled the potential impact of measles-induced immune amnesia on a COVID-19 epidemic in Samoa using data on measles incidence in 2018-2019, population data and a hypothetical COVID-19 epidemic.

Results

The young population structure and contact matrix in Samoa results in the most transmission occurring in young people < 20 years old. The highest rate of death is the 60+ years old, but a smaller peak in de

SUBMITTER: MacIntyre CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7539273 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature