Multifaceted strategies for the control of COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities in Ontario, Canada.

ABSTRACT: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused severe outbreaks in Canadian long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In Canada, over 80% of COVID-19 deaths during the first pandemic wave occurred in LTCFs. We sought to evaluate the effect of mitigation measures in LTCFs including frequent testing of staff, and vaccination of staff and residents. We developed an agent-based transmission model and parameterized it with disease-specific estimates, temporal sensitivity of nasopharyngeal and saliva testing, results of vaccine efficacy trials, and data from initial COVID-19 outbreaks in LTCFs in Ontario, Canada. Characteristics of staff and residents, including contact patterns, were integrated into the model with age-dependent risk of hospitalization and death. Estimates of infection and ou

SUBMITTER: Vilches TN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7743093 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature