From rapid antigen testing for COVID-19 to final outcome: An experience from industrial city of Ludhiana.

Context: The ongoing corona pandemic has created medical crises all over the world. An increased surge in the number of COVID-19 cases was observed in the month of August, September and October 2020. Punjab has around 10 Lakh migrant workers. Intensive rapid antigen testing was done during this surge among factory workers. With this background, the study aims to find out the positivity rate of rapid antigen testing and to find out the final outcome of the COVID positive cases in terms of morbidity. Materials and methods: Screening of factory workers working in various factories was done for COVID-19 by rapid antigen testing from 26th august to 31st October 2020. Those who tested positive were clinically examined, counseled, and followed up telephonically to get information regarding their course of illness. The collected information was entered in Microsoft excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS. Results: A total of 11045 factory workers were screened using the rapid antigen test. The mean age of subjects was 33.37 ± 10.97 years. The majority of them were males (88.3%) and migrants (who did not belong to Punjab) (97.3%). The majority of the subjects (97.3%) had no symptoms at the time of screening. COVID-19 positivity rate increased with age, was found to be higher in males (2.3%) as compared to females. Conclusion: The positivity rate was higher in asymptomatic males and local resident workers. Rapid antigen testing is an important public health measure to prevent the further spread of the disease during a pandemic due to its quick results and detection of asymptomatic patients.

Methods to engage patients in the modern clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To identify current patient and provider engagement methods that use technology in allergy and immunology clinics, in hospitals, and at home. DATA SOURCES: Apple App Store and Google searches for allergy and immunology technology applications and PubMed search of literature involving keywords of website, technology, electronic health record, medical devices, disparity in technology, coding for remote patient monitoring, and artificial intelligence. STUDY SELECTIONS: Studies that addressed the keywords were included and narrowed down based on their applicability in the allergy and immunology clinic. RESULTS: There has been rapid innovation in the digital health care space with expansion of electronic medical record services and the patient portal, creation of allergy and immunology-specific medical devices and applications with remote patient monitoring capabilities, and website and artificial intelligence development to interact with patients. CONCLUSION: These technological advances provide distinct advantages to the provider and patient but also have a burden of time for evaluation of the data for the provider and disparate access to certain technologies for patients. The development of these technologies has been fast-tracked since the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. With the explosion in telehealth and medical device development, advancement of medical technology is not revealing any signs of slowing down. It is paving a new way to interact with patients in the future.

Asthma care during COVID-19: differences in attitudes and expectations between physicians and patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore differences in attitudes, behaviors and expectations related to COVID-19 between physicians and patients with asthma. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed through email and social media to adult patients with asthma during a three-week period in April-May 2020. A separate survey was sent to physicians. The surveys asked about demographic information, specific challenges and concerns due to COVID-19, and attitudes/behaviors during this time. RESULTS: A total of 1171 patients and 225 physicians completed the surveys. Overall, patients with asthma and physicians had large differences in expectations related to COVID-19. Patients were more likely than physicians to believe that individuals with asthma are at a higher risk to get COVID-19 (37.5% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001), have increased anxiety due to COVID-19 (79.6% vs 70.0%, p = 0.002), and should not go to work (62.7% vs 11.9%, p < 0.001). Neither patients nor physicians felt confident they could distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from asthma (61.2% and 74.5% did not feel confident, respectively). Patients with severe asthma were significantly more impacted by the pandemic (e.g., became unemployed [OR 2.15], had difficulty getting asthma medications [OR 2.37]) compared to those with nonsevere asthma. CONCLUSION: Patients with asthma and their physicians have markedly different attitudes and opinions regarding care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such differences have important implications when providing patient-centered care.Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at publisher's website.

Initial experiences regarding COVID19 mortality in Punjab-A mixed method analysis.

CONTEXT: The spread of COVID-19 pandemic poses a great challenge to health care organizations and unprecedented need for information. This study aims to identify possible factors causing delay and losing precious time during diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 at home and health facility level. It also aims to highlight perceptions and experiences of family members of deceased regarding diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 infection in hospital. METHODS: A retrospective study was done to review COVID-19 deaths from 18th March to 5th June 2020 in Punjab, India. A total of 48 laboratory confirmed (RT-PCR) COVID-19 deaths were reported during this period. Socio demographic profile, sequence of events including clinical symptoms, medical aid taken, time of confirmation of diagnosis and treatment before death were noted from the records on a predesigned proforma. Family members of deceased were also interviewed and asked open-ended questions regarding their experiences at various health facilities. Descriptive statistics was presented in percentages, mean, and median. RESULTS: Mean age of subjects was 56.3 ± 18.3 years. Majority (82.2%) had three or more than three comorbidities. Median time from appearance of first symptom to first medical contact and confirmation of diagnosis was 1 and 5 days, respectively. On the basis of interview with deceased's relative, various themes like delay in diagnosis and treatment, dissatisfied with hospital system and lack of communication between relative and patient were generated. CONCLUSION: Presence of comorbidities was the most important risk factor. Health seeking behavior of patients immediately after appearance of symptoms was found to be satisfactory.

Pancreatic Injury in COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 2019) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may cause multisystem dysfunction. We studied pancreatic injury (serum amylase and serum lipase levels) in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A retrospective study involving 42 COVID-19 patients (diagnosed by real-time PCR) admitted to a tertiary care hospital was conducted. Serum amylase and serum lipase levels were analysed in relation to severity of COVID-19 and mortality. RESULTS: Mean age of patients was 50 ± 16 years, with male to female ratio of 3.7:1. Serum amylase was elevated in 14 patients (33%). Serum lipase was elevated in 7 out of 29 patients (24.1%). Mortality was seen in 18 patients (42.8%). Serum amylase or lipase did not correlate with severity of COVID-19 or its mortality. However, both patients who had high lipase (>3times) died. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of hyperamylasemia in patients of COVID-19 was 33%, while that of elevated lipase was 24.1%. Pancreatic injury failed to show any statistically significant relation to severity or outcome of COVID-19.

Asthma Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Patients and Physicians.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated significantly worse outcomes for minority (black and Hispanic) individuals. Understanding the reasons for COVID-19-related disparities among patients with asthma has important public health implications. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors contributing to health disparities in those with asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An anonymous survey was sent through social media to adult patients with asthma, and a separate survey was sent to physicians who provide asthma care. The patient survey addressed demographic information including socioeconomic status, asthma control, and attitudes/health behaviors during COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 1171 patients (10.1% minority individuals) and 225 physicians completed the survey. Minority patients were more likely to have been affected by COVID-19 (eg, became unemployed, lived in a community with high COVID-19 cases). They had worse asthma control (increased emergency visits for asthma, lower Asthma Control Test score), were more likely to live in urban areas, and had a lower household income. Initial differences in attitudes and health behaviors disappeared after controlling for baseline demographic features. Institutional racism was demonstrated by findings that minority individuals were less likely to have a primary care physician, had more trouble affording asthma medications due to COVID-19, and were more likely to have lost health insurance because of COVID-19, and that 25% of physicians found it more challenging to care for black individuals with asthma during COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in socioeconomic status and the effects of institutional racism, but not health behaviors, sources of information, or attitudes, are playing a role in disparities seen for patients with asthma during COVID-19.

Work Group Report: COVID-19: Unmasking Telemedicine.

Telemedicine adoption has rapidly accelerated since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine provides increased access to medical care and helps to mitigate risk by conserving personal protective equipment and providing for social/physical distancing to continue to treat patients with a variety of allergic and immunologic conditions. During this time, many allergy and immunology clinicians have needed to adopt telemedicine expeditiously in their practices while studying the complex and variable issues surrounding its regulation and reimbursement. Some concerns have been temporarily alleviated since March 2020 to aid with patient care in the setting of COVID-19. Other changes are ongoing at the time of this publication. Members of the Telemedicine Work Group in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) completed a telemedicine literature review of online and Pub Med resources through May 9, 2020, to detail Pre-COVID-19 telemedicine knowledge and outline up-to-date telemedicine material. This work group report was developed to provide guidance to allergy/immunology clinicians as they navigate the swiftly evolving telemedicine landscape.

A Phased Approach to Resuming Suspended Allergy/Immunology Clinical Services.

In early 2020, the first US and Canadian cases of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were detected. In the ensuing months, there has been rapid spread of the infection. In March 2020, in response to the virus, state/provincial and local governments instituted shelter-in-place orders, and nonessential ambulatory care was significantly curtailed, including allergy/immunology services. With rates of new infections and fatalities potentially reaching a plateau and/or declining, restrictions on provision of routine ambulatory care are lifting, and there is a need to help guide the allergy/immunology clinician on how to reinitiate services. Given the fact that coronavirus disease 2019 will circulate within our communities for months or longer, we present a flexible, algorithmic best-practices planning approach on how to prioritize services, in 4 stratified phases of reopening according to community risk level, as well as highlight key considerations for how to safely do so. The decisions on what services to offer and how fast to proceed are left to the discretion of the individual clinician and practice, operating in accordance with state and local ordinances with respect to the level of nonessential ambulatory care that can be provided. Clear communication with staff and patients before and after all changes should be incorporated into this new paradigm on continual change, given the movement may be forward and even backward through the phases because this is an evolving situation.

Clinician Wellness During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Extraordinary Times and Unusual Challenges for the Allergist/Immunologist.

The global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused sudden and dramatic societal changes. The allergy/immunology community has quickly responded by mobilizing practice adjustments and embracing new paradigms of care to protect patients and staff from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 exposure. Social distancing is key to slowing contagion but adds to complexity of care and increases isolation and anxiety. Uncertainty exists across a new COVID-19 reality, and clinician well-being may be an underappreciated priority. Wellness incorporates mental, physical, and spiritual health to protect against burnout, which impairs both coping and caregiving abilities. Understanding the stressors that COVID-19 is placing on clinicians can assist in recognizing what is needed to return to a point of wellness. Clinicians can leverage easily accessible tools, including the Strength-Focused and Meaning-Oriented Approach to Resilience and Transformation approach, wellness apps, mindfulness, and gratitude. Realizing early warning signs of anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder is important to access safe and confidential resources. Implementing wellness strategies can improve flexibility, resilience, and outlook. Historical parallels demonstrate that perseverance is as inevitable as pandemics and that we need not navigate this unprecedented time alone.