Epidemiology of Exposures, Preceding Illness and Testing History in Children With Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children in the First 18 Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Los Angeles County, California.

We describe the epidemiology of COVID-19 exposure, preceding illness, and SARS-CoV-2 testing in a large population with MIS-C during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of cases had exposure, preceding illness, or positive SARS-CoV-2 testing 4-8 weeks before MIS-C onset. Serology can help establish epidemiological link to COVID-19 when past infection or exposure are unknown.

A mixed methods investigation of college student mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Researchers collaborated with undergraduate minority students to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate college students' mental health during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were two convenience samples of diverse college students surveyed in June (n = 128; M age = 21.7, SD = 1.7) and December (n = 242; M age = 20.3, SD = 1.7) of 2020. METHODS: This study administered items from the California Health Interview Survey and open-ended qualitative items via Qualtrics. RESULTS: Across both waves, students reported significant mental health challenges and psychological distress. Students surveyed in December were three to four times more likely to report depression and anxiety. Female and older students reported heightened odds of mental health challenges. Qualitative findings elaborated on contributing factors. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, college students have experienced pronounced mental health challenges, potentially exacerbated by academic, professional, relational, and environmental stressors and uncertainty.

Seroprevalence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Among Skilled Nursing Facility Residents and Staff Members-Los Angeles County, August-September 2020.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of current or past coronavirus disease 2019 in skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents is unknown because of asymptomatic infection and constrained testing capacity early in the pandemic. We conducted a seroprevalence survey to determine a more comprehensive prevalence of past coronavirus disease 2019 in Los Angeles County SNF residents and staff members. METHODS: We recruited participants from 24 facilities; participants were requested to submit a nasopharyngeal swab sample for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing and a serum sample for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. All participants were cross-referenced with our surveillance database to identify persons with prior positive SARS-CoV-2 results. RESULTS: From 18 August to 24 September 2020, we enrolled 3305 participants (1340 residents and 1965 staff members). Among 856 residents providing serum samples, 362 (42%) had current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of the 346 serology-positive residents, 199 (58%) did not have a documented prior positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result. Among 1806 staff members providing serum, 454 (25%) had current or past SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of the 447 serology-positive staff members, 353 (79%) did not have a documented prior positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result. CONCLUSIONS: Past testing practices and policies missed a substantial number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in SNF residents and staff members.

Capturing the Experiences and Challenges of Emerging Adults in College During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Emerging adulthood (ages 18-30 years) coincides with "aging out" of pediatric care. As a result, combined internal medicine and pediatrics (Med-Peds) providers are tasked with promoting the health and well-being of this population during and post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In order to inform the response efforts, we aimed to capture emerging adults' COVID-19 experiences and challenges during a two-week period of the pandemic in June 2020. We administered items from the California Health Interview Survey and an open-ended qualitative item via Qualtrics to 242 diverse emerging adults enrolled in a large US public university (mean age = 20.10, SD = 1.26). More than 90% of all students reported that they or their families or close friends experienced difficulties coping with the stressors and challenges presented by COVID-19. Almost half experienced financial difficulties and more than three-fourths experienced household disruptions during the pandemic. Qualitative findings underscored that these challenges were compounded by mental health and broader social issues. Recommendations for Med-Peds providers are provided to promote emerging adulthood health during and post-pandemic.

Pediatric Household Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus-2 Infection-Los Angeles County, December 2020 to February 2021.

This brief report presents transmission rates from a prospective study of 15 households with pediatric index cases of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 in Los Angeles County from December 2020 to February 2021. Our findings support ongoing evidence that transmission from pediatric index cases to household contacts is frequent but can be mitigated with practicing well-documented control measures at home, including isolation, masking and good hand hygiene.