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ObjectivesThe primary objective was to estimate the positivity rate of air travelers coming to Toronto, Canada in September and October, 2020, at arrival, day 7 and day 14. Secondary objectives were to estimate degree of risk based on country of origin; to assess knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19 control measures; and subjective well-being during the quarantine period. DesignProspective cohort of arriving international travelers. SettingToronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1, Toronto, Canada. ParticipantsPassengers arriving on international flights. Inclusion criteria were those aged 18 or older who had a final destination within 100 km of the airport; spoke English or French; and provided consent. Excluded were those taking a connecting flight; who had no internet access; who exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival; or who were exempted from quarantine. Main outcome measuresPositive for SARS-CoV-2 virus on RT-PCR with self-administered nasal-oral swab, and general well-being using the WHO-5 index. ResultsOf 16,361 passengers enrolled, 248 (1{middle dot}5%, 95% CI 1.3%,1.5%) tested positive. Of these, 167 (67%) were identified on arrival, 67 (27%) on day 7, and 14 (6%) on day 14. The positivity rate increased from 1% in September to 2% in October. Average well-being score declined from 19.8 (out of a maximum of 25) to 15.5 between arrival and day 7 (p<0.001). ConclusionsA single arrival test will pick up two-thirds of individuals who will become positive, with most of the rest detected on the second test at day 7. These results support strategies identified through mathematical models that a reduced quarantine combined with testing can be as effective as a 14 day quarantine. Article SummaryO_ST_ABSStrengths and limitations of this studyC_ST_ABSO_LIDecisions regarding border restrictions have been based on trial and error and mathematical models with limited empirical data to support such decision-making. C_LIO_LIThis study assessed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of international travellers at arrival, day 7 and 14 of quarantine. C_LIO_LIIt is limited to one airport and there is the potential from bias due to non-participation and loss to follow-up. C_LIO_LISelf-collected nasal-oral swabs were used which facilitated participation but may have reduced sensitivity. C_LI
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BackgroundPublic health measures, such as social distancing and closure of schools and non-essential services, were rapidly implemented in Canada to interrupt the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ObjectiveWe sought to investigate the impact of mitigation measures during the spring wave of COVID-19 on the incidence of other laboratory-confirmed respiratory viruses in Hamilton, Ontario. MethodsAll nasopharyngeal swab specimens (n = 57,503) submitted for routine respiratory virus testing at a regional laboratory serving all acute-care hospitals in Hamilton, Ontario between January 2010 and June 2020 were reviewed. Testing for influenza A/B, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza I-III, adenovirus and rhinovirus/enterovirus was done routinely using a laboratory-developed polymerase chain reaction multiplex respiratory viral panel. A Bayesian linear regression model was used to determine the trend of positivity rates of all influenza samples for the first 26 weeks of each year from 2010 to 2019. The mean positivity rate of Bayesian inference was compared with the weekly reported positivity rate of influenza samples in 2020. ResultsThe positivity rate of influenza in 2020 diminished sharply following the population-wide implementation of COVID-19 interventions. Weeks 12-26 reported 0% positivity for influenza, with the exception of 0.1% reported in week 13. ConclusionsPublic health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with a reduced incidence of other respiratory viruses and should be considered to mitigate severe seasonal influenza and other respiratory virus pandemics.
