Evaluation of adverse effects due to inactive COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare workers with or without a history of COVID-19

Objective: Vaccines are one of the promising approaches to control the pandemic. The aim of this study, which was conducted on healthcare workers who previously were or were not infected with COVID-19, was to evaluate the undesirable effects that developed after the CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, Beijing, China). Methods: Volunteers who were administered the first dose of inactivated CoronaVac vaccine between January 14-24, 2021, were included in this retrospective study. Demographic information was obtained from the questionnaire results and from the data of the applications made due to side effects. Results: 911 healthcare workers, 232 of whom had a history of COVID-19 were included in the study. The mean age of those with a history of COVID-19, was 36 (20-66), and 33.6% were men. 26.7% were doctors, 34.9% were nurses, 155 (66.8%) worked in internal and 62 (26.7%) in surgical units. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, gender, task, and the departments they worked in. Comorbidities were present in 25.9% of the group with a history of COVID-19;the most common disease was asthma (5.6%). Allergy history was 4.3% in the group with COVID-19 and 7.8% in the other group (p=0.070). The incidence of post-vaccine adverse events (62.9%) was higher in those with a history of COVID-19 than in those without (57.1%). The most common adverse event was a headache, and it was significantly higher in the group who had COVID-19 compared to those who had not (36.6% vs. 27.7%;p=0.01). Conclusion: In our study, we observed that the rates of undesirable effects after vaccination were high in individuals with a history of COVID-19. Although it is thought that this situation may be related to the developing antibody response rates, the insufficient number of cases and the lack of determination of the antibody response after infection and vaccination are a disadvantage of the study.

Evaluation of Adverse Effects due to Inactive COVID-19 Vaccination in Healthcare Workers with or without a History of COVID-19.

Objective: Vaccines are one of the promising approaches to control the pandemic. The aim of this study, which was conducted on healthcare workers who previously were or were not infected with COVID-19, was to evaluate the undesirable effects that developed after the CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, Beijing, China). Method(s): Volunteers who were administered the first dose of inactivated CoronaVac vaccine between January 14-24, 2021, were included in this retrospective study. Demographic information was obtained from the questionnaire results and from the data of the applications made due to side effects. Result(s): 911 healthcare workers, 232 of whom had a history of COVID-19 were included in the study. The mean age of those with a history of COVID-19, was 36 (20-66), and 33.6% were men. 26.7% were doctors, 34.9% were nurses, 155 (66.8%) worked in internal and 62 (26.7%) in surgical units. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, gender, task, and the departments they worked in. Comorbidities were present in 25.9% of the group with a history of COVID-19;the most common disease was asthma (5.6%). Allergy history was 4.3% in the group with COVID-19 and 7.8% in the other group (p=0.070). The incidence of post-vaccine adverse events (62.9%) was higher in those with a history of COVID-19 than in those without (57.1%). The most common adverse event was a headache, and it was significantly higher in the group who had COVID-19 compared to those who had not (36.6% vs. 27.7%;p=0.01). Conclusion(s): In our study, we observed that the rates of undesirable effects after vaccination were high in individuals with a history of COVID-19. Although it is thought that this situation may be related to the developing antibody response rates, the insufficient number of cases and the lack of determination of the antibody response after infection and vaccination are a disadvantage of the study.Copyright © 2023, DOC Design and Informatics Co. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current Threat in COVID-19. Asymptomatic Carriers

BACKGROUND/AIM: Asymptomatic infections are not low in their inability to spread the virus and have no special clinical signs. Consequently, the detection of asymptomatic infections is the central issue for early prevention and control of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) around the world. This study aimed to assess the demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective single-center study, 165 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients who were asymptomatic or symptomatic and followed up at home or in the hospital between March 15, 2020, and May 23, 2020, were included. RESULTS: Among all 165 patients, 21 (12.7%) were asymptomatic and 144 (87.2%) were symptomatic. The median age of the symptomatic patients was higher than the asymptomatic patients, and there were no asymptomatic patients over 65 years older. Twenty-one patients were asymptomatic at admission, but four of them (19%) developed symptoms in the follow-up. Although the white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocyte counts were within the normal range for all patients, the asymptomatic patients had a significantly higher WBC and lymphocyte count than the symptomatic patients. The symptomatic patients had higher median C-reactive protein levels than the asymptomatic patients. For the typical CT findings for COVID-19, there were fewer in the asymptomatic infections (12 cases, 57.1%) than those in the symptomatic infections (103 cases, 71.5%). There were 17 (10%) patients in need of intensive care and the mortality rate was 6.1%. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic infections spread silently in COVID-19. More importance should be given to the identification and quarantine of asymptomatic patients to eliminate COVID-19 transmission and to allow for the early diagnosis of pre-symptomatic patients.

Covid-19 pandemic estimated end date in turkey

Objective: Since the New Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) can also be spread by asymptomatic individuals, identifying asymptomatic carriers is critical in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to describe the COVID-19 poly-merase chain reaction (PCR) test positivity rate sent before the operation / interventional procedure in asymptomatic individuals and determine an estimated time for the pandemic’s decay time. Methods: All the patients over the age of 18 who were obtained the COVID-19 PCR test before the operation or interven-tional procedure between July 1 and October 31, 2020 were included. The patients were divided into two groups according to the periods when the peak was experienced or not. Results: 1070 patients were included in the study. PCR positivity was detected in 55 (5.14%) of the patients. The mean case incidence rate was 0.76% (2/263) in the months when the study was conducted, and there was no COVID-19 peak, and 6.57% (53/807) in the months when the peak was observed. These rates were taken as a reference for the months with and without a peak. The time to reach 67%, which is accepted as the herd immunity limit, was calculated by adding 6.57% to the months corresponding to peak periods with 20-day periods starting from April 1, and the rate of 0.76% to the other months. Since there were two peaks after April 2020, the mass immunity rate reached until today has been calculated. If the COVID-19 peak would not happen since this date, the possible pandemic attenuation time was predicted as March 2022, and if only one peak would happen, then predicted as May 2021. Conclusion: The incidence fluctuates with the restrictions, the risk of re-infection, the virus being open to new mutations, and the initiation of vaccination programs make it difficult to predict the pandemic attenuation time.

Chronic hepatitis c in the pandemic

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, affected all the world and has been a major cause for significant morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 represents with pulmonary manifestations, but in more than half of the cases, other organs, especially hepatic involvement, are observed. Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is an important public health problem worldwide. Sustained virological response (SVR) can be achieved and HCV-related mortality and morbidity can be prevented with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs), which have been used in recent years. However, if CHC is not diagnosed, it can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer. Since the diagnosis and treatment of these patients require follow-up, they are among the most affected chronic diseases during the pandemic. It does not seem possible to predict when the COVID-19 outbreak will end. Diagnosis and treatment need of CHC patients should be met in special areas where protection measures are taken in health institutions. In patients who undergo DAA treatment, the follow-up should be carried out by health institutions that do not provide pandemic services, and if necessary, telemedicine should be used. © 2021, DOC Design and Informatics Co. Ltd.. All rights reserved.