Asylum Seekers' Responses to Government COVID-19 Recommendations: A Cross-sectional Survey in a Swiss Canton.

Asylum seekers face multiple language, cultural and administrative barriers that could result in the inappropriate implementation of COVID-19 measures. This study aimed to explore their knowledge and attitudes to recommendations about COVID-19. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among asylum seekers living in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland. We used logistic regressions to analyze associations between knowledge about health recommendations, the experience of the pandemic and belief to rumors, and participant sociodemographic characteristics. In total, 242 people participated in the survey, with 63% of men (n = 150) and a median age of 30 years old (IQR 23-40). Low knowledge was associated with linguistic barriers (aOR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.94, p = 0.028) and living in a community center (aOR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.85, p = 0.014). Rejected asylum seekers were more likely to believe COVID-19 rumors (aOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.24-6.36, p = 0.013). This survey underlines the importance of tailoring health recommendations and interventions to reach asylum seekers, particularly those living in community centers or facing language barriers.

[Identification and investigation of clusters during the COVID-19 pandemic Experiences from the canton of Vaud]. / Traçage rétrospectif et gestion des clusters pendant l'épidémie de Covid-19 - Applications dans le canton de Vaud.

Persons with SARS-CoV2 can be contagious with few or no symptoms. They can infect others in private, during education or work without knowing it. Few so-called super-propagators can thus initiate clusters of infections and chains of transmission. Isolation of new cases and quarantine of their contacts (forward contact tracing) often does not uncover such situations. Adding detailed backward investigations of events and places with elevated risk of transmission can increase the identification of potentially infected persons. These can then be quarantined, and chains of transmission be interrupted. We describe the principles and challenges of cluster investigation, epidemiological methods and IT tools that we deve loped at the Centre for contact tracing, Vaud. Knowledge of this method is useful in general clinical practice during a pandemic.

La plupart des personnes infectées par le SARS-CoV-2 sont contagieuses même si elles présentent peu ou pas de symptômes. Quelques individus, dits superpropagateurs, peuvent ainsi être à l'origine de clusters d'infections et de chaînes de transmission. L'isolement des nouveaux cas et la mise en quarantaine de leurs contacts ne permettent généralement pas de découvrir de telles situations. L'ajout d'enquêtes rétrospectives centrées sur la recherche de clusters peut accroître l'identification des personnes potentiellement infectées. Nous décrivons les principes et les défis de l'investigation par cluster, les méthodes épidémiologiques et les outils informatiques que nous avons développés au Centre de traçage du canton de Vaud. La connaissance de cette méthode est utile en pratique clinique lors d'une pandémie.

Coproducing value during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Service users, professionals, and civil society all contribute to public health. Inclusion of all relevant actors in a network community coproduction approach can improve public health crisis responses. Using the Swiss canton of Vaud's COVID-19 response as an example, we describe ways in which a network approach can add value to public health services.

Citizen Responses to Government Restrictions in Switzerland During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: The success of government-recommended mitigation measures during the COVID-19 pandemic depends largely on information uptake and implementation by individual citizens. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess citizens' knowledge and perceptions about COVID-19 recommendations in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. METHODS: A cross-sectional electronic survey with open and closed questions was disseminated by community-based partners prior to the relaxation of government restrictions. Outcomes included citizen knowledge (9-question measure) and worry about the virus, perception of government measures, and recommendations for improvements. Comparisons used linear regression, controlling for age, sex, education, and health literacy. Free-text answers were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Of 807 people who accessed the survey, 684 (85%) completed all questions and 479 (60%) gave free-text recommendations. Overall, 75% were female, the mean age was 48 years, and 93% had high health literacy. Knowledge scores were high, with a median score of 8 out of 9. Mean levels of worry about the COVID-19 pandemic were higher in women than men (55/100 versus 44/100, P<.001), and in respondents with lower health literacy (57/100 versus 52/100, P=.03). Self-reported adherence to recommendations was high (85%) and increased with age and worry (both P<.001). Respondents rated their own adherence higher than others (85% versus 61%, P<.001). Moreover, 34% of respondents reported having self-quarantined; this rose to 52% for those aged ≥75 years. Those who had self-quarantined reported higher levels of fear. Nearly half (49%) of respondents felt the government response had been adequate, though younger age and higher levels of worry were associated with considering the response to be insufficient (both P<.001). Analysis of open-text answers revealed 4 major themes: access to and use of masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer; government messaging; lockdown and lockdown exit plan communication; and testing for COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge, adherence, and satisfaction regarding government recommendations and response were high in this sample, but many desired greater access to personal protective equipment. Those with lower health literacy and those who have been in self-isolation reported greater concerns about the pandemic.