ABSTRACT
Background: We aimed to measure SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a cohort of healthcare workers (HCWs) during the first UK wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, explore risk factors associated with infection, and investigate the impact of antibody titres on assay sensitivity.
ABSTRACT
Background. The National Institutes of Health Office of AIDS Research recommend that patients with HIV be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination due to high rates of co-morbidities and sociodemographic risk factors that place them at increased risk for severe disease. However, COVID-19 vaccines were not distributed specifically to those in high-risk medical categories in Nebraska, and HIV clinics were not included in the state's COVID-19 vaccine delivery system. As a result, barriers to vaccine uptake emerged and interventions to mitigate them were needed. Methods. A multi-faceted and iterative program aimed at improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake was implemented at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's (UNMC) HIV clinic in Omaha, Nebraska in January 2021. A multidisciplinary task force was established in late January 2021 and met on a weekly basis to provide staff and patient education, linkage to vaccines, and review and analysis of vaccine completion rates as shown in the figure. Outreach interventions were continuously revised based on patient and staff feedback as well as updated data and vaccine availability. Results. All 1188 patients of the UNMC HIV clinic were ultimately eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but availability was on a rolling basis by age group, profession, county, and, ultimately, co-morbidities. 76% were male, 45.8% non-white, median age 48, and 73% had income less than 400% of federal poverty level. Of the 1188 eligible patients, 63.1% (n=751) had received at least one dose the COVID-19 vaccine and 59.3% (n=705) had completed the COVID-19 vaccine series by June 4, 2021. In comparison, 49.32% of the population of the state of Nebraska had initiated the COVID-19 vaccine series and 43.12% had completed the vaccine series by that date. Among our clinic patients, 27.9% (n=261) of those who had received at least one vaccine were assisted by our task force. 4.5% were noted to have a potential barrier at the time of outreach and these included hesitancy (3.5%), language (1.2%) and transportation (0.9%). Conclusion. A multi-faceted and iterative program to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a high-risk patient population resulted in high rates of vaccine completion.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 during the spring 2020 semester prevented the normal face-to-face format of the Equine Reproduction and Foaling course and laboratory due to campus closure and prevention of students returning to campus. This case study provides a unique teaching strategy utilizing a cloud-based live feed video surveillance system for the remote observation of four mares during foaling to provide students with real time streaming video and the effective delivery of online content. Students coordinated overnight observation shifts with the GroupMe app and sent notifications to classmates of foaling events. The student feedback for the course was positive and provided an extraordinary experience of students witnessing the real time birth of a foal from home. After completing the Equine Reproduction and Foaling course, several enrolled students have indicated interest in pursuing careers as foaling attendants or in the equine reproduction industry in general due to the impact of the experiential learning delivered in this course. Utilization of a remote, cloud-based surveillance system for live viewing from various mobile devices is an instructional strategy that may be advantageous in a variety of animal science or agriculture courses to provide effective online delivery of face-to-face content. © 2021 The Authors. Natural Sciences Education © 2021 American Society of Agronomy
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study compared death and non-favorable discharge following a hospital admission for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) management for patients with a history of solid organ transplant (SOT) vs without (control). Methods: All non-pregnant adults who tested positive with symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 and were admitted at a multihospital health-system from March 17, 2020 through August 24, 2020 were eligible for the study. Patients were excluded if their first positive COVID-19 test occurred >7 days before admission (potentially resolved) or >7 days after admission (potentially nosocomial). Patients not taking immunosuppression immediately prior to COVID-19 diagnosis were excluded from the SOT group. Outcomes included death at 60 days after admission and non-favorable discharge (death or hospice). To adjust for confounding due to differences in baseline demographics, a propensity score was calculated using age, sex, race, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, underlying liver disease, month of hospital admission, and area deprivation index (a surrogate for socioeconomic status). The matched cohort was generated using 1:1 nearest neighbor matching without replacement. Outcomes were analyzed using logistic regression that accounted for matching. Results: Among 4,562 included patients (108 SOT recipients and 4,454 controls), 60-day death occurred in 17% SOT vs 10% control (P=0.033) and non-favorable discharge in 18% SOT vs 9% control (P=0.004). Among 214 matched patients (107 SOT recipients, 107 controls), 60-day death occurred in 17% SOT vs 9% control (OR=2.0, 95%CI=0.9 to 4.4, P=0.106) and non-favorable discharge in 18% SOT vs 9% control (OR=2.1, 95%CI=1.0 to 4.6, P=0.063). As expected, propensity matching reduced confounding due to differences in baseline characteristics (Table 1). Transplanted organs included kidney (n=64), liver (n=13), lung (n=12), history of >1 organ (n=13), and heart (n=5). Conclusions: Recipients of SOT had a greater risk of 60-day death and non-favorable discharge among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 using unadjusted analysis. Preliminary data from the propensity matched analysis reported similar magnitudes of association but did not find statistical significance. A larger study may be needed to clarify whether immune-suppressed SOT recipients have greater risk of death or non-favorable discharge from COVID-19. (Table Presented) .