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Berland JL, Njifon H, Westeel E, Moumbeket H, Komurian-Pradel F, Ilouga P, Njouom R, Perraut R. Impact of the 2022 African Cup of Nations mass-gathering event on the COVID-19 epidemic in Garoua, Cameroon. J Public Health (Oxf) 2024:fdae072. [PMID: 38762221 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdae072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) took place in Cameroon from January 9th to February 5th, 2022, including Garoua in the north. We aimed to measure the impact of this event on the local COVID-19 epidemic given the implementation of a preventive strategy based on a health pass. METHODS All players, staff and fans involved in the AFCON event were screened with PCR tests. Symptomatic cases were also continuously monitored in the general population and screened for variants of concern. Daily numbers of confirmed cases were compared to neighboring countries numbers retrieved from a public domain source. RESULTS In total, 1479 and 2481 tests were performed in the general population and on asymptomatic AFCON attendees, respectively. From the latter, 12.5% were PCR-positive; 97% were infected with Omicron, with no significant difference compared to the passive program (G-test, P value = 0.162). Surveillance indicated the AFCON did not increase the number of symptomatic PCR-positive cases in the general population compared to neighboring countries. CONCLUSIONS Though the COVID-19 epidemic was fueled by asymptomatic cases infected with the Omicron variant at the time, the non-therapeutic preventive measures implemented for AFCON mitigated an increase in the epidemic in the local population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Luc Berland
- Scientific and Medical Department, Fondation Merieux, 69002 Lyon, France
| | - Hermann Njifon
- Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Annexe de Garoua, Garoua, Cameroon
| | - Emilie Westeel
- Scientific and Medical Department, Fondation Merieux, 69002 Lyon, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Ronald Perraut
- Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Annexe de Garoua, Garoua, Cameroon
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Bennett JF, Cottrell DJ. Glastonbury Festival: Medical Care at the World's Largest Greenfield Music Festival. Prehosp Disaster Med 2024; 39:170-177. [PMID: 38563276 PMCID: PMC11035920 DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x24000256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Music festivals have become an increasingly popular form of mass-gathering event, drawing an increasing number of attendees across the world each year. While festivals exist to provide guests with an enjoyable experience, there have been instances of serious illness, injury, and in some cases death. Large crowds, prolonged exposure to loud music, and high rates of drug and alcohol consumption can pose a dangerous environment for guests as well as those looking after them. METHODS A retrospective review of electronic patient records (EPRs) at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival was undertaken. All patients who attended medical services on-site during the festival and immediately after were included. Patient demographics, diagnosis, treatment received, and discharge destination were obtained and analyzed. RESULTS A total of 2,828 patients received on-site medical care. The patient presentation rate (PPR) was 13.47 and the transport-to-hospital rate (TTHR) was 0.30 per 1,000 guests. The most common diagnoses were joint injuries, gastrointestinal conditions, and blisters. Only 164 patients (5.48%) were diagnosed as being intoxicated. Overall, 552 patients (19.52%) were prescribed a medication to take away and 268 (9.48%) had a dressing for a minor wound. One patient (0.04%) underwent a general anesthetic and no patients required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Most patients were discharged back to the festival site (2,563; 90.66%). DISCUSSION Minor conditions were responsible for many presentations and most patients only required mild or non-invasive interventions, after which they could be safely discharged back to the festival. Older adults were diagnosed with a different frequency of conditions compared to the overall study population, something not reported previously. Intoxicated patients only accounted for a very small amount of the medical workload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack F. Bennett
- School of Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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Douglas IJ, Peh J, Mansfield KE, Trelfa A, Fowler T, Boulter M, Cleary P, Smith J, Edmunds WJ. A self-controlled case series study to measure the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with attendance at sporting and cultural events: the UK Events Research Programme events. BMC Med 2024; 22:100. [PMID: 38448944 PMCID: PMC10918946 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03276-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2021, whilst societies were emerging from major social restrictions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the UK government instigated an Events Research Programme to examine the risk of COVID-19 transmission from attendance at cultural events and explore ways to enable people to attend a range of events whilst minimising risk of transmission. We aimed to measure any impact on risk of COVID-19 transmission from attendance at events held at or close to commercially viable capacity using routinely collected data. METHODS Data were obtained on attendees at Phase 3 Events Research Programme events, for which some infection risk mitigation measures were in place (i.e. evidence of vaccination or a negative lateral flow test). Attendance data were linked with COVID-19 test result data from the UK Test and Trace system. Using a self-controlled case series design, we measured the within person incidence rate ratio for testing positive for COVID-19, comparing the rate in days 3 to 9 following event attendance (high risk period) with days 1 and 2 and 10-16 (baseline period). Rate ratios were adjusted for estimates of underlying regional COVID-19 prevalence to account for population level fluctuations in infection risk, and events were grouped into broadly similar types. RESULTS From attendance data available for 188,851 attendees, 3357 people tested positive for COVID-19 during the observation period. After accounting for total testing trends over the period, incidence rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals for positive tests were 1.16 (0.53-2.57) for indoor seated events, 1.12 (0.95-1.30) for mainly outdoor seated events, 0.65 (0.51-0.83) for mainly outdoor partially seated events, and 1.70 (1.52-1.89) for mainly outdoor unseated multi-day events. CONCLUSIONS For the majority of event types studied in the third phase of the UK Events Research Programme, we found no evidence of an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission associated with event attendance. However, we found a 70% increased risk of infection associated with attendance at mainly outdoor unseated multi-day events. We have also demonstrated a novel use for self-controlled case series methodology in monitoring infection risk associated with event attendance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Douglas
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Tom Fowler
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- William Harvey Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Matthew Boulter
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- Atlantic Medical Group, Penzance, UK
| | | | | | - W John Edmunds
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
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Ninsiima M, Wanyana MW, Kiggundu T, King P, Lubwama B, Migisha R, Bulage L, Kadobera D, Ario AR. Syndromic surveillance during 2022 Uganda Martyrs' commemoration. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002068. [PMID: 38271379 PMCID: PMC10810525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Mass gatherings frequently include close, prolonged interactions between people, which presents opportunities for infectious disease transmission. Over 20,000 pilgrims gathered at Namugongo Catholic and Protestant shrines to commemorate 2022 Uganda Martyr's Day. We described syndromes suggestive of key priority diseases particularly COVID-19 and viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) among visiting pilgrims during May 25-June 5, 2022. We conducted a survey among pilgrims at the catholic and protestant shrines based on signs and symptoms for key priority diseases: COVID-19 and VHF. A suspected COVID-19 case was defined as acute respiratory illness (temperature greater 37.5°C and at least one sign/symptom of respiratory infection such as cough or shortness of breath) whereas a suspected VHF case was defined as fever >37.5°C and unexplained bleeding among pilgrims who visited Namugongo Catholic and Protestant shrines from May 25 to June 5, 2022. Pilgrims were sampled systematically at entrances and demarcated zonal areas to participate in the survey. Additionally, we extracted secondary data on pilgrims who sought emergency medical services from Health Management Information System registers. Descriptive analysis was conducted to identify syndromes suggestive of key priority diseases. Among 1,350 pilgrims interviewed, 767 (57%) were female. The mean age was 37.9 (±17.9) years. Nearly all pilgrims 1,331 (98.6%) were Ugandans. A total of 236 (18%) reported ≥1 case definition symptom and 42 (3%) reported ≥2 symptoms. Thirty-nine (2.9%) were suspected COVID-19 cases and three (0.2%) were suspected VHF cases from different regions of Uganda. Among 5,582 pilgrims who sought medical care from tents, 628 (11.3%) had suspected COVID-19 and one had suspected VHF. Almost one in fifty pilgrims at the 2022 Uganda Martyrs' commemoration had at least one symptom of COVID-19 or VHF. Intensified syndromic surveillance and planned laboratory testing capacity at mass gatherings is important for early detection of public health emergencies that could stem from such events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackline Ninsiima
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mercy W. Wanyana
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Thomas Kiggundu
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Patrick King
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Bernard Lubwama
- Division of Integrated Epidemiology and Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Richard Migisha
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lilian Bulage
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Daniel Kadobera
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alex Riolexus Ario
- Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program, Uganda National Institute of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
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Rebitschek FG, Eisenmann Y, Krippner L, Neugebauer E, Schirren CO, Schnuppe K, Hauptmann M. Protecting mass-gathering events in a pandemic with testing tracks and transparent information: an experimental study with festival guests. Psychol Health 2024:1-27. [PMID: 38251635 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2024.2305644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Objective. To enable future open-air festivals during a pandemic, model festivals tested restricted access and behavioural rules to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmissions. However, the uptake of health-protective measures depends on informed acceptance, meaning people are more likely to follow measures if they understand their effectiveness and related disease risks. Design and main outcome measures. With a series of online surveys, we studied risk perceptions of 6,500 festival guests and the association of perceived effectiveness of protective behaviours with reported compliance. In a scenario-based online experiment (N = 1,958) among festival guests, we tested the effect of informing transparently about the risk-reducing potential of protective measures at festivals on the intention to attend hypothetical events. Results. We found that guests tended to overestimate infection risks while still perceiving them as low. Self-reported mask wearing and distancing at and around the festivals could not be associated with the understanding of the measures' effectiveness. However, in addition to protective measures themselves, providing transparent information about their absolute risk-reducing effect increased intentions to attend festivals that employ varying protective measures. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that the acceptance of protected festivals can be influenced by transparent information about the effectiveness of protective measures. This calls for further research on evidence-based public health communications to improve their impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix G Rebitschek
- Harding Center for Risk Literacy, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yvonne Eisenmann
- Center for Clinical Studies, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Lena Krippner
- Harding Center for Risk Literacy, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Edmund Neugebauer
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Clara O Schirren
- Harding Center for Risk Literacy, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kristin Schnuppe
- Center for Clinical Studies, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
| | - Michael Hauptmann
- Center for Clinical Studies, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
- Institute of Biostatistics and Registry Research, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB), Neuruppin, Germany
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Yardley L, Denford S, Kamal A, May T, Kesten JM, French CE, Weston D, Rubin GJ, Horwood J, Hickman M, Amlôt R, Oliver I. The Agile Co-production and Evaluation framework for developing public health interventions, messaging and guidance. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1094753. [PMID: 37435513 PMCID: PMC10331616 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1094753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A lesson identified from the COVID-19 pandemic is that we need to extend existing best practice for intervention development. In particular, we need to integrate (a) state-of-the-art methods of rapidly coproducing public health interventions and messaging to support all population groups to protect themselves and their communities with (b) methods of rapidly evaluating co-produced interventions to determine which are acceptable and effective. This paper describes the Agile Co-production and Evaluation (ACE) framework, which is intended to provide a focus for investigating new ways of rapidly developing effective interventions and messaging by combining co-production methods with large-scale testing and/or real-world evaluation. We briefly review some of the participatory, qualitative and quantitative methods that could potentially be combined and propose a research agenda to further develop, refine and validate packages of methods in a variety of public health contexts to determine which combinations are feasible, cost-effective and achieve the goal of improving health and reducing health inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Yardley
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Denford
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Atiya Kamal
- School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Tom May
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Jo M. Kesten
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Clare E French
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Dale Weston
- UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
| | - G. James Rubin
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Horwood
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West), University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Hickman
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Amlôt
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Oliver
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
- UK Health Security Agency, London, United Kingdom
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Forcadell-Díez L, Rius C, Salobral R, Sánchez-Valdivia N, Mendioroz J, Godoy P, Badiella Jarque E, Ferrandiz-Mont D, Moreno Cervera D, Jordan Suriñach B, Vilalta-Carrera A, Guadalupe-Fernández V, Mateo Basilio J, Farràs Tapiol S, Pérez G. A large outbreak of COVID-19 linked to an end of term trip to Menorca (Spain) by secondary school students in summer 2021. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280614. [PMID: 36735702 PMCID: PMC9897546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) occurred in young people from Catalonia (Spain) who travelled to Menorca (Spain) in summer 2021. This outbreak appeared when governments relaxed Covid-19 preventive measures: the mask usage and the opening of nightlife. It was related to a super-disseminating mass event: Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella. The aim of this article is to describe an outbreak of COVID-19 in young people aged 17-19 years from Catalonia travelling to Menorca. METHODS This is an observational study of a COVID-19 outbreak. The study population comprised Catalonian youth aged 17-19 years who travelled to Menorca from 15 June to 10 July. Epidemiological descriptive indicators were obtained. Descriptive and geographical statistics were carried out. Bivariate Moran's I test was used to identify spatial autocorrelation between the place of residence and deprivation. The outbreak control method was based on identifying and stopping chains of transmission by implementing the test-trace-isolate-quarantine (TTIQ) strategy. RESULTS We identified 515 confirmed cases infected in Menorca, 296 (57.5%) in girls and 219 (42.5%) in boys, with a total of 2,280 close contacts. Of them, 245 (10.7%) were confirmed as cases. The cases were diagnosed between 15 June and 10 July. None of the persons with confirmed infection died or required hospitalisation. The attack rate was 27.2%. There was an inverse relationship between deprivation and number of confirmed cases (p<0.005), there were clusters of confirmed cases in the most socioeconomic favoured areas. DISCUSSION The outbreak is related with young people from socioeconomic favoured areas who travelled to Menorca in summer 2021. Failure to comply with preventive measures in binge-drinking events and during holidays may have favoured SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The interauthority coordination and establishment of a clear line of leadership allowed continuous communication between institutions, which were key to managing this complex COVID-19 outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lluís Forcadell-Díez
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Cristina Rius
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raúl Salobral
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jacobo Mendioroz
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pere Godoy
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisabet Badiella Jarque
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Ferrandiz-Mont
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Moreno Cervera
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Jordan Suriñach
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba Vilalta-Carrera
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Guadalupe-Fernández
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julia Mateo Basilio
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Farràs Tapiol
- Subdirecció General de Vigilància i Resposta a Emergències de Salut Pública, Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Pérez
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Silva PGD, Nascimento MSJ, Sousa SIV, Mesquita JR. SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor air following the third wave lockdown release, Portugal, 2021. J Med Microbiol 2023; 72. [PMID: 36763082 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Aiming to contribute with more data on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in outdoor environments, we performed air sampling in outdoor terraces from restaurants in three major cities of Portugal in April 2021, following the third wave lockdown release in the country. Air samples (n=19) were collected in 19 restaurant terraces during lunch time. Each air sample was collected using a Coriolis Compact air sampler, followed by RNA extraction and real-time quantitative PCR for the detection of viral RNA. Viral viability was also assessed through RNAse pre-treatment of samples. Only one of the 19 air samples was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, with 7337 gene copies m-3 for the genomic region N2, with no viable virus in this sample. The low number of positive samples found in this study is not surprising, as sampling took place in outdoor settings where air circulation is optimal, and aerosols are rapidly dispersed by the air currents. These results are consistent with previous reports stating that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor spaces is low, although current evidence shows an association of exposures in settings where drinking and eating is possible on-site with an increased risk in acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the minimal infectious dose for SARS-CoV-2 still needs to be determined so that the real risk of infection in different environments can be accurately established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal.,Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal.,LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Sofia I V Sousa
- LEPABE - Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,ALiCE - Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- ICBAS - School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal.,Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
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Purves RI, Maclean J, Rocha C, Philpott M, Fitzgerald N, Piggin J, Hunt K. Attending sporting mega events during COVID-19: mitigation and messaging at UK EURO 2020 matches. Health Promot Int 2023; 38:6974790. [PMID: 36617291 PMCID: PMC9825819 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daac176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The UEFA EURO 2020 football tournament was one of the largest Sporting Mega Events (SMEs) to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mitigating the risk of virus transmission requires a multi-layered approach for any large event, more so in this case due to staging the tournament across eleven host countries. Yet, little is known about COVID-19 risks and mitigation from attending an event of this scale and nature. We examined the implementation of mitigation and messaging at EURO 2020 matches hosted at venues in the UK. The tournament was postponed from the summer of 2020 and played in June and July of 2021. Structured observations were conducted by 11 trained fieldwork-supporters at 10 matches played at Wembley Stadium, London, or Hampden Park, Glasgow. Fieldwork-supporters observed one-way systems and signage, and hand sanitizing stations inside the stadia, but reported significant variation in the implementation of staggered timeslots, testing upon entry, and procedures for exit. Adherence to planned measures by ticket holders and implementation by stewards waned as the tournament progressed culminating in an absence of enforced measures at the final. The non-compliance with COVID-19 mitigation measures was likely to have led to a significantly increased risk of transmission. Future events should consider how COVID-19 mitigation measures could become 'new norms' of fan behaviour, learning from what is already known about football fandom. Tournament organizers of SMEs can use these findings to promote clearer messaging on pandemic-driven changes in fan behaviour and best practices in mitigating risk at future sporting and cultural events.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordan Maclean
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Claudio Rocha
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | | | - Niamh Fitzgerald
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Joe Piggin
- Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Kate Hunt
- Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
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Kern WV, Morgan DJ. In-Person Medical Conferences During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2230305. [PMID: 36069987 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.30305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Winfried V Kern
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Daniel J Morgan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System, Baltimore
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Murakami M, Fujita T, Li P, Imoto S, Yasutaka T. Development of a COVID-19 risk assessment model for participants at outdoor music festivals: evaluation of the validity and control measure effectiveness based on two actual events in Japan and Spain. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13846. [PMID: 35966931 PMCID: PMC9368994 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We developed an environmental exposure model to estimate the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk among participants at outdoor music festivals and validated the model using two real events-one in Japan (Event 1) and one in Spain (Event 2). Furthermore, we considered a hypothetical situation in which Event 1 was held but enhanced measures were implemented to evaluate the extent to which the risk could be reduced by additional infection control measures, such as negative antigen tests on the day of the event, wearing of masks, disinfection of environmental surfaces, and vaccination. Among 7,392 participants, the total number of already- and newly-infected individuals who participated in Event 1 according to the new model was 47.0 (95% uncertainty interval: 12.5-185.5), which is in good agreement with the reported value (45). The risk of infection at Event 2 (1.98 × 10-2; 95% uncertainty interval: 0.55 × 10-2-6.39 × 10-2), calculated by the model in this study, was also similar to the estimated value in the previous epidemiological study (1.25 × 10-2). These results for the two events in different countries highlighted the validity of the model. Among the additional control measures in the hypothetical Event 1, vaccination, mask-wearing, and disinfection of surfaces were determined to be effective. Based on the combination of all measures, a 94% risk reduction could be achieved. In addition to setting a benchmark for an acceptable number of newly-infected individuals at the time of an event, the application of this model will enable us to determine whether it is necessary to implement additional measures, limit the number of participants, or refrain from holding an event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michio Murakami
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan,Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Fujita
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Pinqi Li
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Seiya Imoto
- Division of Health Medical Intelligence, Human Genome Center, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yasutaka
- Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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Murakami M. Re-examining the importance of mask-wearing at mass gathering events. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2022; 18:100423. [PMID: 35655659 PMCID: PMC9148391 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Michio Murakami
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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Miron O, Yu KH. Outdoor mass gathering events and SARS-CoV-2 infection in Catalonia (North-East Spain). Lancet Reg Health Eur 2022; 15:100350. [PMID: 35330688 PMCID: PMC8938745 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oren Miron
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel
- Branch of Planning and Strategy, Clalit Health Services, Israel
| | - Kun-Hsing Yu
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Corresponding author at: Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
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