ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Frontline health care workers (HCW) have higher risk than the general population to become infected by SARS.CoV.2, so they were a priority group for Covid-19 vaccine administration. We compared the incidence and prevalence of HCW infected pre-and post- vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective observational study carried out between 01/12/20 and 07/03/21 in La Paz University Hospital, Madrid (Spain). SARS.CoV.2 positive cases in HCW after vaccination were collected and compared to those hospitalized COVID-19 patients at the same hospital. RESULTS: Two weeks after finishing the first round of vaccinations daily new cases of HCW infections (symptomatic and asymptomatic) decreased substantially and cumulative cases of infected HCW and hospitalized COVID-19 patients started to diverge. No new positive cases of HCW infection were registered seven days after the second dose of BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in Spanish HCW.
ABSTRACT
We described clinical characteristics and outcome of 160 patients over 65 years (01 September to 31 August 2021) who had a first positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR- test more than 14 days after full vaccination and were hospitalized with COVID-19. Median age of included patients was 84 years, 61.2% were over 80 years; 50.6% were male and most (82.5%) has at least one comorbidity. Up to 84% received specific treatment against COVID-19, including 76.9% low-flow oxygen therapy. We found that overall mortality was 25.6% and 30.6% in those older than 80 years. A higher mortality was significantly associated with older age and treatment with tocilizumab. Our data showed that although COVID-19 vaccines continue protecting elderly patients against hospitalization and death and might improve the prognosis after hospitalization in patients with breakthrough infections, mortality in this population -especially in those older than 80 years- remains very high.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19 Vaccines , Comorbidity , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Data from a recent epidemiological surveillance network showed a decrease in the reported number of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and food-borne infections. We reflect on the possible drivers and consequences of a decrease in these transmittable infectious diseases linked to human contact in relation to social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Madrid (Spain).
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Foodborne Diseases/epidemiology , Physical Distancing , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology , Basic Reproduction Number/statistics & numerical data , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Communicable Disease Control/methods , Communicable Disease Control/statistics & numerical data , Epidemiologic Measurements , Epidemiological Monitoring , Humans , SARS-CoV-2 , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Data on imported cases of COVID-19 are scarce. Recorded imported cases in Madrid, Spain represented 0.08% of the total cases from May to December 2020, as reported by the Epidemiology Service of Madrid Autonomous Community. We reflect on the potential role of airports in infection transmission, the current preventive measures to avoid travelling-related infections and discuss if there is a real need to focus on strict airport controls when community transmission is ongoing.