Prevalence and factors influencing long COVID among primary healthcare workers after epidemic control policy adjustment in Jiangsu, China (preprint)

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of long COVID infections and their influencing factors among primary HCWs after epidemic control policy adjustment in Jiangsu. Methods: : A self-designed questionnaire was administered through on-site surveys among primary HCWs in five counties and districts within Jiangsu Province from July 4 to July 20, 2023. Results: : The prevalence of long COVID among primary HCWs stood at 12.61% (95% confidence interval (CI) of 11.67%-13.55%). The most common long COVID symptoms were hypomnesia (4.90%), sleep difficulties (2.73%), fatigue (2.35%), disturbances in the reproductive system (1.93%), hair loss (1.85%), and myalgia/arthralgia (1.51%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that older age groups (30-45 years (adjusted odds ratios (aOR) =1.93, 95%CI: 1.44-2.58), 45-60 years (aOR=2.82, 95%CI: 2.07-3.84)), females (aOR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.03-1.55), and higher work stress (high stress (aOR=1.52, 95%CI: 1.24-1.86), extremely high stress (aOR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.03-1.82)) were more prone to long COVID. Conversely, individuals with educational attainment below the bachelor’s degree (aOR=0.67, 95%CI: 0.55-0.82) and those who received four or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine (aOR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.33-0.92) were at a reduced risk. Conclusion: To mitigate the incidence of long COVID, healthcare providers and authorities should implement effective measures, including optimizing work-rest schedules and actively advocating for vaccination.

Dynamic Zero-Covid strategy curtails mutagenesis and emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 (preprint)

Within the local outbreak period of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in Nanjing and Yangzhou, China, we analyzed the mutation process of the Delta variants in 520 cases, as well as the production, spread and elimination of new mutant strains under the non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) strategy. The investigation on distribution of COVID-19 cases and phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences attributed to tracking the transmission chains, transmission chains were terminated by the isolation of the COVID-19 patients and quarantine of close-contracts, suggesting the importance of NPI in prompting some mutations to disappear and stopping the transmission of new variants. Dynamic zero-Covid strategy has been implemented successfully to against the second-largest local epidemic caused by an imported COVID-19 case in China.

The Value of High-flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy in Treating Patients With Severe Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (preprint)

Objective This study aimed to investigate the value of high-flow nasal cannula (HNFC) oxygen therapy in treating patients with severe novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19).Methods The clinical data of 22 patients with severe COVID-19 were collected. The heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and oxygenation index (PO2/FiO2) at 0, 6, 24 and 72 hours after treatment were compared between the HFNC oxygen therapy group and the conventional oxygen therapy (COT) group. In addition, the white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocyte (L) count, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were compared before and at 72 hours after oxygen therapy treatment.Results Of the included patients, 12 were assigned to the HFNC oxygen therapy group and 10 were assigned to the COT group. The differences in HR, RR, PaO2/FiO2, WBC, L, CRP and PCT at 0 hours between the two groups were not statistically significant. At 6 hours after treatment with the two oxygen therapies, HR, RR and PaO2/FiO2 were better in the HFNC oxygen therapy group than in the COT group (p < 0.05), while at 24 and 72 hours after treatment with the two oxygen therapies, PaO2/FiO2 was better in the HFNC oxygen therapy group than in the COT group (p < 0.05), but the differences in HR and RR were not statistically significant. At 72 hours after treatment, L and CRP had significantly improved in the HFNC oxygen therapy group compared with the COT group, but the differences in WBC and PCT were not statistically significant. The length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and the total length of hospitalization were shorter in the HFNC oxygen therapy group than in the COT group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant.Conclusion Compared with COT, early application of HFNC oxygen therapy in patients with severe COVID-19 can significantly improve oxygenation and RR, and HFNC oxygen therapy can improve the infection indexes of patients and reduce the length of stay in the ICU of patients. Therefore, it has high clinical application value.