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1.
Crit Rev Microbiol ; : 1-14, 2023 Apr 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2298660

ABSTRACT

Although SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, is primarily a respiratory infection, a broad spectrum of cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, and metabolic complications can occur. More than 50 long-term symptoms of COVID-19 have been described, and as many as 80% of patients may develop ≥1 long-term symptom. To summarize current perspectives of long-term sequelae of COVID-19, we conducted a PubMed search describing the long-term cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and neurologic effects post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and mechanistic insights and risk factors for the above-mentioned sequelae. Emerging risk factors of long-term sequelae include older age (≥65 years), female sex, Black or Asian race, Hispanic ethnicity, and presence of comorbidities. There is an urgent need to better understand ongoing effects of COVID-19. Prospective studies evaluating long-term effects of COVID-19 in all body systems and patient groups will facilitate appropriate management and assess burden of care. Clinicians should ensure patients are followed up and managed appropriately, especially those in at-risk groups. Healthcare systems worldwide need to develop approaches to follow-up and support patients recovering from COVID-19. Surveillance programs can enhance prevention and treatment efforts for those most vulnerable.

2.
Eur J Epidemiol ; 2023 Apr 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2297178

ABSTRACT

While some studies have previously estimated lives saved by COVID-19 vaccination, we estimate how many deaths could have been averted by vaccination in the US but were not because of a failure to vaccinate. We used a simple method based on a nationally representative dataset to estimate the preventable deaths among unvaccinated individuals in the US from May 30, 2021 to September 3, 2022 adjusted for the effects of age and time. We estimated that at least 232,000 deaths could have been prevented among unvaccinated adults during the 15 months had they been vaccinated with at least a primary series. While uncertainties exist regarding the exact number of preventable deaths and more granular data are needed on other factors causing differences in death rates between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups to inform these estimates, this method is a rapid assessment on vaccine-preventable deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 that has crucial public health implications. The same rapid method can be used for future public health emergencies.

3.
PLoS One ; 18(4): e0275699, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2306000

ABSTRACT

By August 1, 2022, the SARS-CoV-2 virus had caused over 90 million cases of COVID-19 and one million deaths in the United States. Since December 2020, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been a key component of US pandemic response; however, the impacts of vaccination are not easily quantified. Here, we use a dynamic county-scale metapopulation model to estimate the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths averted due to vaccination during the first six months of vaccine availability. We estimate that COVID-19 vaccination was associated with over 8 million fewer confirmed cases, over 120 thousand fewer deaths, and 700 thousand fewer hospitalizations during the first six months of the campaign.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Vaccination , Hospitalization
4.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 9(7): ofac300, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2005006

ABSTRACT

Background: Adult respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines are in the late stages of development. A comprehensive synthesis of adult RSV burden is needed to inform public health decision-making. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies describing the incidence of medically attended RSV (MA-RSV) among US adults. We also identified studies reporting nasopharyngeal (NP) or nasal swab reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results with paired serology (4-fold-rise) or sputum (RT-PCR) to calculate RSV detection ratios quantifying improved diagnostic yield after adding a second specimen type (ie, serology or sputum). Results: We identified 14 studies with 15 unique MA-RSV incidence estimates, all based on NP or nasal swab RT-PCR testing alone. Pooled annual RSV-associated incidence per 100 000 adults ≥65 years of age was 178 (95% CI, 152‒204; n = 8 estimates) hospitalizations (4 prospective studies: 189; 4 model-based studies: 157), 133 (95% CI, 0‒319; n = 2) emergency department (ED) admissions, and 1519 (95% CI, 1109‒1929; n = 3) outpatient visits. Based on 6 studies, RSV detection was ∼1.5 times higher when adding paired serology or sputum. After adjustment for this increased yield, annual RSV-associated rates per 100 000 adults age ≥65 years were 267 hospitalizations (uncertainty interval [UI], 228‒306; prospective: 282; model-based: 236), 200 ED admissions (UI, 0‒478), and 2278 outpatient visits (UI, 1663‒2893). Persons <65 years with chronic medical conditions were 1.2-28 times more likely to be hospitalized for RSV depending on risk condition. Conclusions: The true burden of RSV has been underestimated and is significant among older adults and individuals with chronic medical conditions. A highly effective adult RSV vaccine would have substantial public health impact.

5.
Infect Dis Ther ; 11(4): 1391-1414, 2022 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1864505

ABSTRACT

Immunocompromised individuals are at high risk of poor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes and demonstrate a lower immune response to COVID-19 vaccines, including to the novel mRNA vaccines that have been shown to elicit high neutralizing antibody levels. This review synthesized available data on the immune response to COVID-19 and critically assessed mRNA COVID-19 vaccine immunogenicity in this vulnerable subpopulation. Patients with various immunocompromising conditions exhibit diverse responses to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19 severity and mortality, and available vaccines elicit lower immune responses, particularly in solid organ transplant recipients. Strategies to improve vaccine responses in immunocompromised individuals are being implemented in vaccine recommendations, including the use of a third and fourth vaccine dose beyond the two-dose series. Additional doses may enhance vaccine effectiveness and help provide broad coverage against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Continued investigation of vaccines and dosing regimens will help refine approaches to help protect this vulnerable subpopulation from COVID-19.

6.
Vaccines (Basel) ; 10(3)2022 Mar 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1792392

ABSTRACT

Observational studies are needed to demonstrate real-world vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outcomes. Our objective was to conduct a review of published SARS-CoV-2 VE articles, supplemented by preprints, during the first 6 months of COVID-19 vaccine availability. This review compares the effectiveness of completing the primary COVID-19 vaccination series against multiple SARS-CoV-2 disease presentations and disease severity outcomes in three population groups (general population, frontline workers, and older adults). Four hundred and seventy-one published articles and 47 preprints were identified. After title and abstract screening and full article review, 50 studies (28 published articles, 22 preprints) were included. VE results were reported for five COVID-19 vaccines and four combinations of COVID-19 vaccines. VE results for BNT162b2 were reported in 70.6% of all studies. Seventeen studies reported variant specific VE estimates; Alpha was the most common. This comprehensive review demonstrates that COVID-19 vaccination is an important tool for preventing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality among fully vaccinated persons aged 16 years and older and serves as an important baseline from which to follow future trends in COVID-19 evolution and effectiveness of new and updated vaccines.

7.
Lancet Reg Health Am ; 9: 100191, 2022 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1773616

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: On Dec 14, 2020, the United States initiated a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Demonstrating clear population-level impact following vaccine introduction helps to further elucidate and quantify the public-health benefits of vaccination. METHODS: Using a negative binomial regression model we evaluated the ecological association between county-level COVID-19 vaccine uptake and rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the United States from April 1, 2021 through October 31, 2021 controlling for a broad set of county-level environmental, sociodemographic, economic, and health-status-related characteristics. County-level data were obtained from several publicly available databases that were merged for analysis. FINDINGS: After adjustment for county-level characteristics, US counties with ≥ 80% of their residents ≥ 12 years of age fully vaccinated against COVID-19 had 30% (95% CI: 25-35; P < .001) and 46% (38-52; P < .001) lower rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths, respectively, versus those with <50% coverage (reference group). A dose response was observed: counties with 70-79% uptake had 20% (95% CI: 16-24; P < .001) and 35% (29-40; P < .001) lower rates of cases and deaths, respectively; counties with 60-69% uptake had 8% (5-11; P < .001) and 20% (15-24; P < .001) lower rates; and counties with 50-59% uptake had 2% (0-4; P =.09) and 8% (4-12; P < .001) lower rates. Restricting the analysis to the period when the Delta variant was predominant (June 1, 2021 ‒ October 31, 2021) showed similar findings. INTERPRETATION: Our results showed that US counties with higher proportions of persons ≥ 12 years of age fully vaccinated against COVID-19 had substantially lower rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths-a finding that showed dose response and persisted even in the period when Delta was predominant. FUNDING: Pfizer.

8.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 9(2): ofab647, 2022 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1649188

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Information is needed to monitor progress toward a level of population immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sufficient to disrupt viral transmission. We estimated the percentage of the US population with presumed immunity to SARS-CoV-2 due to vaccination, natural infection, or both as of August 26, 2021. METHODS: Publicly available data as of August 26, 2021, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were used to calculate presumed population immunity by state. Seroprevalence data were used to estimate the percentage of the population previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, with adjustments for underreporting. Vaccination coverage data for both fully and partially vaccinated persons were used to calculate presumed immunity from vaccination. Finally, we estimated the percentage of the total population in each state with presumed immunity to SARS-CoV-2, with a sensitivity analysis to account for waning immunity, and compared these estimates with a range of population immunity thresholds. RESULTS: In our main analysis, which was the most optimistic scenario, presumed population immunity varied among states (43.1% to 70.6%), with 19 states with ≤60% of their population having been infected or vaccinated. Four states had presumed immunity greater than thresholds estimated to be sufficient to disrupt transmission of less infectious variants (67%), and none were greater than the threshold estimated for more infectious variants (≥78%). CONCLUSIONS: The United States remains a distance below the threshold sufficient to disrupt viral transmission, with some states remarkably low. As more infectious variants emerge, it is critical that vaccination efforts intensify across all states and ages for which the vaccines are approved.

9.
PLoS One ; 17(1): e0262347, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1606863

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has substantially impacted healthcare utilization worldwide. The objective of this retrospective analysis of a large hospital discharge database was to compare all-cause and cause-specific hospitalizations during the first six months of the pandemic in the United States with the same months in the previous four years. METHODS: Data were collected from all hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database (PHD) and PHD Special Release reporting hospitalizations from January through July for each year from 2016 through 2020. Hospitalization trends were analyzed stratified by age group, major diagnostic categories (MDCs), and geographic region. RESULTS: The analysis included 286 hospitals from all 9 US Census divisions. The number of all-cause hospitalizations per month was relatively stable from 2016 through 2019 and then fell by 21% (57,281 fewer hospitalizations) between March and April 2020, particularly in hospitalizations for non-respiratory illnesses. From April onward there was a rise in the number of monthly hospitalizations per month. Hospitalizations per month, nationally and in each Census division, decreased for 20 of 25 MDCs between March and April 2020. There was also a decrease in hospitalizations per month for all age groups between March and April 2020 with the greatest decreases in hospitalizations observed for patients 50-64 and ≥65 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of hospitalization declined substantially during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting delayed routine, elective, and emergency care in the United States. These lapses in care for illnesses not related to COVID-19 may lead to increases in morbidity and mortality for other conditions. Thus, in the current stage of the pandemic, clinicians and public-health officials should work, not only to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but also to ensure that care for non-COVID-19 conditions is not delayed.


Subject(s)
Hospitalization/trends , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , COVID-19/epidemiology , Delivery of Health Care/trends , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Hospitals , Humans , Pandemics/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity , United States/epidemiology
10.
EClinicalMedicine ; 42: 101190, 2021 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1540602

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 variant Beta (B.1.351) was designated as a Variant of Concern (VoC) after becoming the dominant strain in South Africa and spreading internationally. BNT162b2 showed lower levels of neutralizing antibodies against Beta than against other strains raising concerns about effectiveness of vaccines against infections caused by Beta. We estimated BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Beta infections in Israel, a country with high vaccine uptake. METHODS: The Ministry of Health (MoH) identified Beta cases through mandatory reporting of SARS-CoV-2 cases and whole genome sequencing (WGS) of specimens from vaccination-breakthrough infections, reinfections, arriving international travelers, and a selection of other infected persons. A cohort analysis was conducted of exposure events of contacts of primary Beta cases. WGS was conducted on available PCR-positive specimens collected from contacts. VE estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) against confirmed and probable Beta infections were determined by comparing infection risk between unvaccinated and fully-vaccinated (≥7 days after the second dose) contacts, and between unvaccinated and partially-vaccinated (<7 days after the second dose) contacts. FINDINGS: MoH identified 310 Beta cases through Jun 27, 2021. During the study period (Dec 11, 2020 - Mar 25, 2021), 164 non-institutionalized primary Beta cases, with 552 contacts aged ≥16 years, were identified. 343/552 (62%) contacts were interviewed and tested. 71/343 (21%) contacts were PCR-positive. WGS was performed on 7/71 (10%) PCR-positive specimens; all were Beta. Among SARS-CoV-2-infected contacts, 48/71 (68%) were symptomatic, 10/71 (14%) hospitalized, and 2/71 (3%) died. Fully-vaccinated VE against confirmed or probable Beta infections was 72% (95% CI -5 - 97%; p=0·04) and against symptomatic confirmed or probable Beta infections was 100% (95% CI 19 - 100%; p=0·01). There was no evidence of protection in partially-vaccinated contacts. INTERPRETATION: In a prospective observational study, two doses of BNT162b2 were effective against confirmed and probable Beta infections. Through the end of June 2021, introductions of Beta did not interrupt control of the pandemic in Israel. FUNDING: Israel Ministry of Health and Pfizer.

11.
Clin Infect Dis ; 73(7): e1814-e1821, 2021 10 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1455271

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The United States has been heavily impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding microlevel patterns in US rates of COVID-19 can inform specific prevention strategies. METHODS: Using a negative binomial mixed-effects regression model, we evaluated the associations between a broad set of US county-level sociodemographic, economic, and health status-related characteristics and cumulative rates of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths between 22 January 2020 and 31 August 2020. RESULTS: Rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths were higher in US counties that were more urban or densely populated or that had more crowded housing, air pollution, women, persons aged 20-49 years, racial/ethnic minorities, residential housing segregation, income inequality, uninsured persons, diabetics, or mobility outside the home during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study provides results from the most comprehensive multivariable analysis of county-level predictors of rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths conducted to date. Our findings make clear that ensuring that COVID-19 preventive measures, including vaccines when available, reach vulnerable and minority communities and are distributed in a manner that meaningfully disrupts transmission (in addition to protecting those at highest risk of severe disease) will likely be critical to stem the pandemic.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Ethnicity , Female , Health Status Disparities , Humans , Minority Groups , SARS-CoV-2 , United States/epidemiology
12.
Lancet Infect Dis ; 22(3): 357-366, 2022 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1433958

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: On Dec 20, 2020, Israel initiated a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign for people aged 16 years and older and exclusively used the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (tozinameran). We provide estimates of the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related admissions to hospital (ie, hospitalisations) and deaths averted by the nationwide vaccination campaign. METHODS: In this retrospective surveillance study, we used national surveillance data routinely collected by the Israeli Ministry of Health from the first 112 days (Dec 20, 2020, up to our data cutoff of April 10, 2021) of Israel's vaccination campaign to estimate the averted burden of four outcomes: SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospitalisations, severe or critical hospitalisations, and deaths. As part of the campaign, all individuals aged 16 years and older were eligible for inoculation with the BNT162b2 vaccine in a two-dose schedule 21 days apart. We estimated the direct effects of the immunisation programme for all susceptible individuals (ie, with no previous evidence of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection) who were at least partly vaccinated (at least one dose and at least 14 days of follow-up after the first dose). We estimated the number of SARS-CoV-2 infection-related outcomes averted on the basis of cumulative daily, age-specific rate differences, comparing rates among unvaccinated individuals with those of at least partly vaccinated individuals for each of the four outcomes and the (age-specific) size of the susceptible population and proportion that was at least partly vaccinated. FINDINGS: We estimated that Israel's vaccination campaign averted 158 665 (95% CI 144 640-172 690) SARS-CoV-2 infections, 24 597 (18 942-30 252) hospitalisations, 17 432 (12 770-22 094) severe or critical hospitalisations, and 5532 (3085-7982) deaths. 16 213 (65·9%) of 24 597 hospitalisations and 5035 (91·0%) of 5532 of deaths averted were estimated to be among those aged 65 years and older. We estimated 116 000 (73·1%) SARS-CoV-2 infections, 19 467 (79·1%) COVID-19-related hospitalisations, and 4351 (79%) deaths averted were accounted for by the fully vaccinated population. INTERPRETATION: Without the national vaccination campaign, Israel probably would have had triple the number of hospitalisations and deaths compared with what actually occurred during its largest wave of the pandemic to date, and the health-care system might have become overwhelmed. Indirect effects and long-term benefits of the programme, which could be substantial, were not included in these estimates and warrant future research. FUNDING: Israel Ministry of Health and Pfizer.


Subject(s)
BNT162 Vaccine/administration & dosage , COVID-19/prevention & control , Hospitalization/trends , Immunization Programs , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , COVID-19/mortality , Female , Humans , Israel , Male , Middle Aged , Population Surveillance , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification
13.
Sci Rep ; 11(1): 18093, 2021 09 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1402128

ABSTRACT

Long-term care facilities (LTCFs) bear disproportionate burden of COVID-19 and are prioritized for vaccine deployment. LTCF outbreaks could continue occurring during vaccine rollout due to incomplete population coverage, and the effect of vaccines on viral transmission are currently unknown. Declining adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against within-facility transmission could therefore limit the effectiveness of vaccination. We built a stochastic model to simulate outbreaks in LTCF populations with differing vaccination coverage and NPI adherence to evaluate their interacting effects. Vaccination combined with strong NPI adherence produced the least morbidity and mortality. Healthcare worker vaccination improved outcomes in unvaccinated LTCF residents but was less impactful with declining NPI adherence. To prevent further illness and deaths, there is a continued need for NPIs in LTCFs during vaccine rollout.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines/therapeutic use , COVID-19/prevention & control , Long-Term Care , Models, Theoretical , Vaccination Coverage , Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control , Health Facilities , Humans , Vaccination
14.
Lancet ; 397(10287): 1819-1829, 2021 05 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1219315

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Following the emergency use authorisation of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 (international non-proprietary name tozinameran) in Israel, the Ministry of Health (MoH) launched a campaign to immunise the 6·5 million residents of Israel aged 16 years and older. We estimated the real-world effectiveness of two doses of BNT162b2 against a range of SARS-CoV-2 outcomes and to evaluate the nationwide public-health impact following the widespread introduction of the vaccine. METHODS: We used national surveillance data from the first 4 months of the nationwide vaccination campaign to ascertain incident cases of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections and outcomes, as well as vaccine uptake in residents of Israel aged 16 years and older. Vaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 outcomes (asymptomatic infection, symptomatic infection, and COVID-19-related hospitalisation, severe or critical hospitalisation, and death) was calculated on the basis of incidence rates in fully vaccinated individuals (defined as those for whom 7 days had passed since receiving the second dose of vaccine) compared with rates in unvaccinated individuals (who had not received any doses of the vaccine), with use of a negative binomial regression model adjusted for age group (16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years), sex, and calendar week. The proportion of spike gene target failures on PCR test among a nationwide convenience-sample of SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens was used to estimate the prevelance of the B.1.1.7 variant. FINDINGS: During the analysis period (Jan 24 to April 3, 2021), there were 232 268 SARS-CoV-2 infections, 7694 COVID-19 hospitalisations, 4481 severe or critical COVID-19 hospitalisations, and 1113 COVID-19 deaths in people aged 16 years or older. By April 3, 2021, 4 714 932 (72·1%) of 6 538 911 people aged 16 years and older were fully vaccinated with two doses of BNT162b2. Adjusted estimates of vaccine effectiveness at 7 days or longer after the second dose were 95·3% (95% CI 94·9-95·7; incidence rate 91·5 per 100 000 person-days in unvaccinated vs 3·1 per 100 000 person-days in fully vaccinated individuals) against SARS-CoV-2 infection, 91·5% (90·7-92·2; 40·9 vs 1·8 per 100 000 person-days) against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, 97·0% (96·7-97·2; 32·5 vs 0·8 per 100 000 person-days) against symptomatic COVID-19, 97·2% (96·8-97·5; 4·6 vs 0·3 per 100 000 person-days) against COVID-19-related hospitalisation, 97·5% (97·1-97·8; 2·7 vs 0·2 per 100 000 person-days) against severe or critical COVID-19-related hospitalisation, and 96·7% (96·0-97·3; 0·6 vs 0·1 per 100 000 person-days) against COVID-19-related death. In all age groups, as vaccine coverage increased, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 outcomes declined. 8006 of 8472 samples tested showed a spike gene target failure, giving an estimated prevalence of the B.1.1.7 variant of 94·5% among SARS-CoV-2 infections. INTERPRETATION: Two doses of BNT162b2 are highly effective across all age groups (≥16 years, including older adults aged ≥85 years) in preventing symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19-related hospitalisations, severe disease, and death, including those caused by the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant. There were marked and sustained declines in SARS-CoV-2 incidence corresponding to increasing vaccine coverage. These findings suggest that COVID-19 vaccination can help to control the pandemic. FUNDING: None.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19/prevention & control , Mass Vaccination , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Asymptomatic Infections/epidemiology , BNT162 Vaccine , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/mortality , COVID-19/virology , Female , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Incidence , Israel/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Population Surveillance , RNA, Messenger , SARS-CoV-2 , Young Adult
16.
JAMA Netw Open ; 4(1): e2033706, 2021 01 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1008227

ABSTRACT

Importance: Estimates of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease burden are needed to help guide interventions. Objective: To estimate the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, symptomatic infections, hospitalizations, and deaths in the US as of November 15, 2020. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cross-sectional study of respondents of all ages, data from 4 regional and 1 nationwide Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seroprevalence surveys (April [n = 16 596], May, June, and July [n = 40 817], and August [n = 38 355]) were used to estimate infection underreporting multipliers and symptomatic underreporting multipliers. Community serosurvey data from randomly selected members of the general population were also used to validate the underreporting multipliers. Main Outcomes and Measures: SARS-CoV-2 infections, symptomatic infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The median of underreporting multipliers derived from the 5 CDC seroprevalence surveys in the 10 states that participated in 2 or more surveys were applied to surveillance data of reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases for 5 respective time periods to derive estimates of SARS-CoV-2 infections and symptomatic infections, which were summed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 infections and symptomatic infections in the US. Estimates of infections and symptomatic infections were combined with estimates of the hospitalization ratio and fatality ratio to derive estimates of SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations and deaths. External validity of the surveys was evaluated with the April CDC survey by comparing results to 5 serosurveys (n = 22 118) that used random sampling of the general population. Internal validity of the multipliers from the 10 specific states was assessed in the August CDC survey by comparing multipliers from the 10 states to all states. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using the interquartile range of the multipliers to derive a high and low estimate of SARS-CoV-2 infections and symptomatic infections. The underreporting multipliers were then used to adjust the reported COVID-19 infections to estimate the full SARS-COV-2 disease burden. Results: Adjusting reported COVID-19 infections using underreporting multipliers derived from CDC seroprevalence studies in April (n = 16 596), May (n = 14 291), June (n = 14 159), July (n = 12 367), and August (n = 38 355), there were estimated medians of 46 910 006 (interquartile range [IQR], 38 192 705-60 814 748) SARS-CoV-2 infections, 28 122 752 (IQR, 23 014 957-36 438 592) symptomatic infections, 956 174 (IQR, 782 509-1 238 912) hospitalizations, and 304 915 (IQR, 248 253-395 296) deaths in the US through November 15, 2020. An estimated 14.3% (IQR, 11.6%-18.5%) of the US population were infected by SARS-CoV-2 as of mid-November 2020. Conclusions and Relevance: The SARS-CoV-2 disease burden may be much larger than reported COVID-19 cases owing to underreporting. Even after adjusting for underreporting, a substantial gap remains between the estimated proportion of the population infected and the proportion infected required to reach herd immunity. Additional seroprevalence surveys are needed to monitor the pandemic, including after the introduction of safe and efficacious vaccines.


Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , Basic Reproduction Number , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/mortality , COVID-19 Serological Testing , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Immunity, Herd , Public Health Surveillance , SARS-CoV-2 , Seroepidemiologic Studies , United States/epidemiology
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