Association between job role and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare personnel, Iowa, 2021.

We describe the association between job roles and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare personnel. A wide range of hazard ratios were observed across job roles. Medical assistants had higher hazard ratios than nurses, while attending physicians, food service workers, laboratory technicians, pharmacists, residents and fellows, and temporary workers had lower hazard ratios.

COVID-19-from emerging global threat to ongoing pandemic crisis.

In December 2019, China witnessed the emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Its ability to spread quickly made it a global pandemic. The United States has been greatly affected, with more than 980,000 lives lost so far. Diagnosis is made primarily through nasopharyngeal swab for polymerase chain reaction. Point-of-care testing by antigen is less sensitive and specific and may require polymerase chain reaction confirmation. Management of the COVID-19 patient remains largely supportive. Steroids are now a therapy mainstay if the patient is hypoxic. Direct antivirals, such as nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, or molnupirivir, can be used if certain criteria are met. SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted primarily by inhalation of large droplets, though transmission by aerosolization may occur, particularly via certain procedures. In the hospital setting, use of personal protective equipment for the care of COVID-19 patients has largely remained the same, with full use of gowns, gloves, respirators, and eye protection. Inadequate supply at the start of the pandemic required innovative ways to reprocess and extend the use of personal protective equipment. Three vaccines are now available in the US, all with excellent efficacy against severe disease and hospitalization, though booster doses are needed to bolster waning antibody levels. The possibility of emerging variants continues to remain a threat to control of the pandemic. The leader of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros, has stated, "The pandemic will not be over anywhere until it's over everywhere."

2019 novel coronavirus: an emerging global threat.

The coronavirus (CoV) epidemic that began in China in December 2019 follows earlier epidemics of severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV in China and Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV in Saudi Arabia. The full genome of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has now been shared, and data have been gathered from several case series. As of February 11, 2020, there have been 45,182 laboratory-confirmed cases, the vast majority in China, with 1115 deaths, for an overall case-fatality rate of 2.5%. Cases have been confirmed in 27 countries. On average, each patient infects 2.2 other people. Symptomatic infection appears to predominantly affect adults, with a 5-day estimated incubation period between infection and symptom onset. The most common presenting symptoms are fever, cough, dyspnea, and myalgias and/or fatigue. All cases reported to date have shown radiographic evidence of pneumonia. 2019-nCoV is diagnosed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Treatment is largely supportive, with regimens including antiviral therapy. Corticosteroids are not routinely recommended. Hand hygiene, prompt identification and isolation of suspect patients, and appropriate use of personal protective equipment are the most reliable methods to contain the epidemic.