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Näher AF, Schulte-Althoff M, Kopka M, Balzer F, Pozo-Martin F. Effects of Face Mask Mandates on COVID-19 Transmission in 51 Countries: Retrospective Event Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2024; 10:e49307. [PMID: 38457225 PMCID: PMC10926949 DOI: 10.2196/49307] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The question of the utility of face masks in preventing acute respiratory infections has received renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, given the inconclusive evidence from existing randomized controlled trials, evidence based on real-world data with high external validity is missing. OBJECTIVE To add real-world evidence, this study aims to examine whether mask mandates in 51 countries and mask recommendations in 10 countries increased self-reported face mask use and reduced SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers and COVID-19 case growth rates. METHODS We applied an event study approach to data pooled from four sources: (1) country-level information on self-reported mask use was obtained from the COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey, (2) data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker provided information on face mask mandates and recommendations and any other nonpharmacological interventions implemented, (3) mobility indicators from Google's Community Mobility Reports were also included, and (4) SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers and COVID-19 case growth rates were retrieved from the Our World in Data-COVID-19 data set. RESULTS Mandates increased mask use by 8.81 percentage points (P=.006) on average, and SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers declined on average by -0.31 units (P=.008). Although no significant average effect of mask mandates was observed for growth rates of COVID-19 cases (-0.98 percentage points; P=.56), the results indicate incremental effects on days 26 (-1.76 percentage points; P=.04), 27 (-1.89 percentage points; P=.05), 29 (-1.78 percentage points; P=.04), and 30 (-2.14 percentage points; P=.02) after mandate implementation. For self-reported face mask use and reproduction numbers, incremental effects are seen 6 and 13 days after mandate implementation. Both incremental effects persist for >30 days. Furthermore, mask recommendations increased self-reported mask use on average (5.84 percentage points; P<.001). However, there were no effects of recommendations on SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers or COVID-19 case growth rates (-0.06 units; P=.70 and -2.45 percentage points; P=.59). Single incremental effects on self-reported mask use were observed on days 11 (3.96 percentage points; P=.04), 13 (3.77 percentage points; P=.04) and 25 to 27 (4.20 percentage points; P=.048 and 5.91 percentage points; P=.01) after recommendation. Recommendations also affected reproduction numbers on days 0 (-0.07 units; P=.03) and 1 (-0.07 units; P=.03) and between days 21 (-0.09 units; P=.04) and 28 (-0.11 units; P=.05) and case growth rates between days 1 and 4 (-1.60 percentage points; P=.03 and -2.19 percentage points; P=.03) and on day 23 (-2.83 percentage points; P=.05) after publication. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to recommendations, mask mandates can be used as an effective measure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers. However, mandates alone are not sufficient to reduce growth rates of COVID-19 cases. Our study adds external validity to the existing randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatol-Fiete Näher
- Digital Global Public Health, Hasso Plattner Institute, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Method Development, Research Infrastructure, and Information Technology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Schulte-Althoff
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Information Systems, School of Business and Economics, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marvin Kopka
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychology and Ergonomics, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Balzer
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Francisco Pozo-Martin
- Evidence-based Public Health Unit, Center for International Health Protection, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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Gilmour S, Sapounas S, Drakopoulos K, Jaillet P, Magiorkinis G, Trichakis N. On the impact of mass screening for SARS-CoV-2 through self-testing in Greece. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1352238. [PMID: 38510354 PMCID: PMC10950936 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1352238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Screening programs that pre-emptively and routinely test population groups for disease at a massive scale were first implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in a handful of countries. One of these countries was Greece, which implemented a mass self-testing program during 2021. In contrast to most other non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), mass self-testing programs are particularly attractive for their relatively small financial and social burden, and it is therefore important to understand their effectiveness to inform policy makers and public health officials responding to future pandemics. This study aimed to estimate the number of deaths and hospitalizations averted by the program implemented in Greece and evaluate the impact of several operational decisions. Methods Granular data from the mass self-testing program deployed by the Greek government between April and December 2021 were obtained. The data were used to fit a novel compartmental model that was developed to describe the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece in the presence of self-testing. The fitted model provided estimates on the effectiveness of the program in averting deaths and hospitalizations. Sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the impact of operational decisions, including the scale of the program, targeting of sub-populations, and sensitivity (i.e., true positive rate) of tests. Results Conservative estimates show that the program reduced the reproduction number by 4%, hospitalizations by 25%, and deaths by 20%, translating into approximately 20,000 averted hospitalizations and 2,000 averted deaths in Greece between April and December 2021. Conclusion Mass self-testing programs are efficient NPIs with minimal social and financial burden; therefore, they are invaluable tools to be considered in pandemic preparedness and response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Gilmour
- Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | | | - Kimon Drakopoulos
- Department of Data Sciences and Operations, Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Patrick Jaillet
- Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Gkikas Magiorkinis
- Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Trichakis
- Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Butail S, Bhattacharya A, Porfiri M. Estimating hidden relationships in dynamical systems: Discovering drivers of infection rates of COVID-19. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2024; 34:033117. [PMID: 38457848 DOI: 10.1063/5.0156338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Discovering causal influences among internal variables is a fundamental goal of complex systems research. This paper presents a framework for uncovering hidden relationships from limited time-series data by combining methods from nonlinear estimation and information theory. The approach is based on two sequential steps: first, we reconstruct a more complete state of the underlying dynamical system, and second, we calculate mutual information between pairs of internal state variables to detail causal dependencies. Equipped with time-series data related to the spread of COVID-19 from the past three years, we apply this approach to identify the drivers of falling and rising infections during the three main waves of infection in the Chicago metropolitan region. The unscented Kalman filter nonlinear estimation algorithm is implemented on an established epidemiological model of COVID-19, which we refine to include isolation, masking, loss of immunity, and stochastic transition rates. Through the systematic study of mutual information between infection rate and various stochastic parameters, we find that increased mobility, decreased mask use, and loss of immunity post sickness played a key role in rising infections, while falling infections were controlled by masking and isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Butail
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA
| | - A Bhattacharya
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, USA
| | - M Porfiri
- Center for Urban Science and Progress, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, New York 11201, USA
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4
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Wu G, Zhang W, Wu W, Wang P, Huang Z, Wu Y, Li J, Zhang W, Du Z, Hao Y. Revisiting the complex time-varying effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions on COVID-19 transmission in the United States. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1343950. [PMID: 38450145 PMCID: PMC10915018 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1343950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Although the global COVID-19 emergency ended, the real-world effects of multiple non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and the relative contribution of individual NPIs over time were poorly understood, limiting the mitigation of future potential epidemics. Methods Based on four large-scale datasets including epidemic parameters, virus variants, vaccines, and meteorological factors across 51 states in the United States from August 2020 to July 2022, we established a Bayesian hierarchical model with a spike-and-slab prior to assessing the time-varying effect of NPIs and vaccination on mitigating COVID-19 transmission and identifying important NPIs in the context of different variants pandemic. Results We found that (i) the empirical reduction in reproduction number attributable to integrated NPIs was 52.0% (95%CI: 44.4, 58.5%) by August and September 2020, whereas the reduction continuously decreased due to the relaxation of NPIs in following months; (ii) international travel restrictions, stay-at-home requirements, and restrictions on gathering size were important NPIs with the relative contribution higher than 12.5%; (iii) vaccination alone could not mitigate transmission when the fully vaccination coverage was less than 60%, but it could effectively synergize with NPIs; (iv) even with fully vaccination coverage >60%, combined use of NPIs and vaccination failed to reduce the reproduction number below 1 in many states by February 2022 because of elimination of above NPIs, following with a resurgence of COVID-19 after March 2022. Conclusion Our results suggest that NPIs and vaccination had a high synergy effect and eliminating NPIs should consider their relative effectiveness, vaccination coverage, and emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonghua Wu
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wanfang Zhang
- Guangzhou Liwan District Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing Wu
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pengyu Wang
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zitong Huang
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueqian Wu
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junxi Li
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wangjian Zhang
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Du
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health & Center for Health Information Research & Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou Joint Research Center for Disease Surveillance and Risk Assessment, Sun Yat-sen University and Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuantao Hao
- Peking University Center for Public Health and Epidemic Preparedness and Response, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Epidemiology of Major Diseases, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
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Bali Swain R, Lin X, Wallentin FY. COVID-19 pandemic waves: Identification and interpretation of global data. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25090. [PMID: 38327425 PMCID: PMC10847870 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The mention of the COVID-19 waves is as prevalent as the pandemic itself. Identifying the beginning and end of the wave is critical to evaluating the impact of various COVID-19 variants and the different pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical (including economic, health and social, etc.) interventions. We demonstrate a scientifically robust method to identify COVID-19 waves and the breaking points at which they begin and end from January 2020 to June 2021. Employing the Break Least Square method, we determine the significance of COVID-19 waves for global-, regional-, and country-level data. The results show that the method works efficiently in detecting different breaking points. Identifying these breaking points is critical for evaluating the impact of the economic, health, social and other welfare interventions implemented during the pandemic crisis. Employing our method with high frequency data effectively determines the start and end points of the COVID-19 wave(s). Identifying waves at the country level is more relevant than at the global or regional levels. Our research results evidenced that the COVID-19 wave takes about 48 days on average to subside once it begins, irrespective of the circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjula Bali Swain
- Department of Economics, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Sustainability Research (SIR), Stockholm School of Economics, Box 6501, SE-11383, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiang Lin
- Department of Economics, Södertörn University, 141 89 Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
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6
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Wang Z, Xu M, Yang Z, Jin Y, Zhang Y. Comparing the Performance of Three Computational Methods for Estimating the Effective Reproduction Number. J Comput Biol 2024; 31:128-146. [PMID: 38227389 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2023.0065] [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] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The effective reproduction number ( R t ) is one of the most important epidemiological parameters, providing suggestions for monitoring the development trend of diseases and also for adjusting the prevention and control policies. However, a few studies have focused on the performance of some common computational methods for Rt. The purpose of this article is to compare the performance of three computational methods for Rt: the time-dependent (TD) method, the new time-varying (NT) method, and the sequential Bayesian (SB) method. Four evaluation methods-accuracy, correlation coefficient, similarity based on trend, and dynamic time warping distance-were used to compare the effectiveness of three computational methods for Rt under different time lags and time windows. The results showed that the NT method was a better choice for real-time monitoring and analysis of the epidemic in the middle and late stages of the infectious disease. The TD method could reflect the change of the number of cases stably and accurately, and was more suitable for monitoring the change of Rt during the whole process of the epidemic outbreak. When the data were relatively stable, the SB method could also provide a reliable estimate for Rt, while the error would increase when the fluctuation in the number of cases increased. The results would provide suggestions for selecting appropriate Rt estimation methods and making policy adjustments more timely and effectively according to the change of Rt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Wang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengxia Xu
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zonglin Yang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Jin
- College of Education for the Future, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Marković S, Salom I, Djordjevic M. Systems Biology Approaches to Understanding COVID-19 Spread in the Population. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2745:233-253. [PMID: 38060190 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3577-3_15] [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: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
In essence, the COVID-19 pandemic can be regarded as a systems biology problem, with the entire world as the system, and the human population as the element transitioning from one state to another with certain transition rates. While capturing all the relevant features of such a complex system is hardly possible, compartmental epidemiological models can be used as an appropriate simplification to model the system's dynamics and infer its important characteristics, such as basic and effective reproductive numbers of the virus. These measures can later be used as response variables in feature selection methods to uncover the main factors contributing to disease transmissibility. We here demonstrate that a combination of dynamic modeling and machine learning approaches can represent a powerful tool in understanding the spread, not only of COVID-19, but of any infectious disease of epidemiological proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofija Marković
- Quantitative Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Igor Salom
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Marko Djordjevic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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8
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Chai D, El Mossadeq L, Raymond M, Courtier-Orgogozo V. Recommended distances for physical distancing during COVID-19 pandemics reveal cultural connections between countries. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289998. [PMID: 38100502 PMCID: PMC10723704 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
During COVID-19 pandemic several public health measures were implemented by diverse countries to reduce the risk of COVID-19, including social distancing. Here we collected the minimal distance recommended by each country for physical distancing at the onset of the pandemic and aimed to examine whether it had an impact on the outbreak dynamics and how this specific value was chosen. Despite an absence of data on SARS-CoV-2 viral transmission at the beginning of the pandemic, we found that most countries recommended physical distancing with a precise minimal distance, between one meter/three feet and two meters/six feet. 45% of the countries advised one meter/three feet and 49% advised a higher minimal distance. The recommended minimal distance did not show a clear correlation with reproduction rate nor with the number of new cases per million, suggesting that the overall COVID-19 dynamics in each country depended on multiple interacting factors. Interestingly, the recommended minimal distance correlated with several cultural parameters: it was higher in countries with larger interpersonal distance between two interacting individuals in non-epidemic conditions, and it correlated with civil law systems, and with currency. This suggests that countries which share common conceptions such as civil law systems and currency unions tend to adopt the same public health measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwoo Chai
- Institut Jacques Monod, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
| | | | - Michel Raymond
- ISEM, University Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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9
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Chae SH. State Capacity and COVID-19: Targeted versus Population-Wide Restrictions. JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLITICS, POLICY AND LAW 2023; 48:889-918. [PMID: 37497886 DOI: 10.1215/03616878-10852619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments varied in their implementation of social distancing rules. Some governments were able to target their social distancing requirements toward specific segments of the population, whereas others had to resort to more indiscriminate applications. This article will argue that state capacity crucially affected the manner in which social distancing rules were applied. METHODS Using data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, the author performed a series of ordered logistic regressions to examine whether state capacity increased the likelihood of more targeted applications of each social distancing rule. FINDINGS Given the same level of infectivity, more capable states were indeed more likely to resort to targeted applications of each social distancing restriction. Interestingly, the size of state capacity's effect varied by the type of restriction. State capacity had a stronger influence on face-covering requirements and private-gathering restrictions than it had on school closures, workplace closures, and stay-at-home orders. CONCLUSIONS The way in which social distancing rules are applied is endogenous to state capacity. Effective governance is a precursor to more targeted and nuanced applications of social distancing rules.
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Fritz M, Gries T, Redlin M. The effectiveness of vaccination, testing, and lockdown strategies against COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 23:585-607. [PMID: 37103662 PMCID: PMC10134731 DOI: 10.1007/s10754-023-09352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The ability of various policy activities to reduce the reproduction rate of the COVID-19 disease is widely discussed. Using a stringency index that comprises a variety of lockdown levels, such as school and workplace closures, we analyze the effectiveness of government restrictions. At the same time, we investigate the capacity of a range of lockdown measures to lower the reproduction rate by considering vaccination rates and testing strategies. By including all three components in an SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovery) model, we show that a general and comprehensive test strategy is instrumental in reducing the spread of COVID-19. The empirical study demonstrates that testing and isolation represent a highly effective and preferable approach towards overcoming the pandemic, in particular until vaccination rates have risen to the point of herd immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlon Fritz
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
| | - Thomas Gries
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
| | - Margarete Redlin
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
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11
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Won YS, Son WS, Choi S, Kim JH. Estimating the instantaneous reproduction number ( Rt) by using particle filter. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:1002-1014. [PMID: 37649793 PMCID: PMC10463196 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.08.003] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Monitoring the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) requires accurate estimation of the effective reproduction number (R t ). However, existing methods for calculating R t may yield biased estimates if important real-world factors, such as delays in confirmation, pre-symptomatic transmissions, or imperfect data observation, are not considered. Method To include real-world factors, we expanded the susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered (SEIR) model by incorporating pre-symptomatic (P) and asymptomatic (A) states, creating the SEPIAR model. By utilizing both stochastic and deterministic versions of the model, and incorporating predetermined time series of R t , we generated simulated datasets that simulate real-world challenges in estimating R t . We then compared the performance of our proposed particle filtering method for estimating R t with the existing EpiEstim approach based on renewal equations. Results The particle filtering method accurately estimated R t even in the presence of data with delays, pre-symptomatic transmission, and imperfect observation. When evaluating via the root mean square error (RMSE) metric, the performance of the particle filtering method was better in general and was comparable to the EpiEstim approach if perfectly deconvolved infection time series were provided, and substantially better when R t exhibited short-term fluctuations and the data was right truncated. Conclusions The SEPIAR model, in conjunction with the particle filtering method, offers a reliable tool for predicting the transmission trend of COVID-19 and assessing the impact of intervention strategies. This approach enables enhanced monitoring of COVID-19 transmission and can inform public health policies aimed at controlling the spread of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Sul Won
- National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Woo-Sik Son
- National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sunhwa Choi
- National Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Daejeon, South Korea
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12
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Lim TY, Xu R, Ruktanonchai N, Saucedo O, Childs LM, Jalali MS, Rahmandad H, Ghaffarzadegan N. Why Similar Policies Resulted In Different COVID-19 Outcomes: How Responsiveness And Culture Influenced Mortality Rates. Health Aff (Millwood) 2023; 42:1637-1646. [PMID: 38048504 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
In the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, per capita mortality varied by more than a hundredfold across countries, despite most implementing similar nonpharmaceutical interventions. Factors such as policy stringency, gross domestic product, and age distribution explain only a small fraction of mortality variation. To address this puzzle, we built on a previously validated pandemic model in which perceived risk altered societal responses affecting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Using data from more than 100 countries, we found that a key factor explaining heterogeneous death rates was not the policy responses themselves but rather variation in responsiveness. Responsiveness measures how sensitive communities are to evolving mortality risks and how readily they adopt nonpharmaceutical interventions in response, to curb transmission. We further found that responsiveness correlated with two cultural constructs across countries: uncertainty avoidance and power distance. Our findings show that more responsive adoption of similar policies saves many lives, with important implications for the design and implementation of responses to future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tse Yang Lim
- Tse Yang Lim, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ran Xu
- Ran Xu, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | | | - Omar Saucedo
- Omar Saucedo, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | | | | | - Hazhir Rahmandad
- Hazhir Rahmandad, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Brockhaus EK, Wolffram D, Stadler T, Osthege M, Mitra T, Littek JM, Krymova E, Klesen AJ, Huisman JS, Heyder S, Helleckes LM, an der Heiden M, Funk S, Abbott S, Bracher J. Why are different estimates of the effective reproductive number so different? A case study on COVID-19 in Germany. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011653. [PMID: 38011276 PMCID: PMC10703420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The effective reproductive number Rt has taken a central role in the scientific, political, and public discussion during the COVID-19 pandemic, with numerous real-time estimates of this quantity routinely published. Disagreement between estimates can be substantial and may lead to confusion among decision-makers and the general public. In this work, we compare different estimates of the national-level effective reproductive number of COVID-19 in Germany in 2020 and 2021. We consider the agreement between estimates from the same method but published at different time points (within-method agreement) as well as retrospective agreement across eight different approaches (between-method agreement). Concerning the former, estimates from some methods are very stable over time and hardly subject to revisions, while others display considerable fluctuations. To evaluate between-method agreement, we reproduce the estimates generated by different groups using a variety of statistical approaches, standardizing analytical choices to assess how they contribute to the observed disagreement. These analytical choices include the data source, data pre-processing, assumed generation time distribution, statistical tuning parameters, and various delay distributions. We find that in practice, these auxiliary choices in the estimation of Rt may affect results at least as strongly as the selection of the statistical approach. They should thus be communicated transparently along with the estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth K. Brockhaus
- Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Daniel Wolffram
- Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
- Computational Statistics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tanja Stadler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michael Osthege
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Tanmay Mitra
- Department of Systems Immunology and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Current address: Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, Nuffield Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jonas M. Littek
- Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Krymova
- Swiss Data Science Center, EPF Lausanne and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Anna J. Klesen
- Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jana S. Huisman
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
- Physics of Living Systems, Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Stefan Heyder
- Institute of Mathematics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Laura M. Helleckes
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-1: Biotechnology, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Funk
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Abbott
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Johannes Bracher
- Chair of Statistical Methods and Econometrics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
- Computational Statistics Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS), Heidelberg, Germany
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14
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Otiende M, Nyaguara A, Bottomley C, Walumbe D, Mochamah G, Amadi D, Nyundo C, Kagucia EW, Etyang AO, Adetifa IMO, Brand SPC, Maitha E, Chondo E, Nzomo E, Aman R, Mwangangi M, Amoth P, Kasera K, Ng'ang'a W, Barasa E, Tsofa B, Mwangangi J, Bejon P, Agweyu A, Williams TN, Scott JAG. Impact of COVID-19 on mortality in coastal Kenya: a longitudinal open cohort study. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6879. [PMID: 37898630 PMCID: PMC10613220 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42615-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The mortality impact of COVID-19 in Africa remains controversial because most countries lack vital registration. We analysed excess mortality in Kilifi Health and Demographic Surveillance System, Kenya, using 9 years of baseline data. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies suggest most adults here were infected before May 2022. During 5 waves of COVID-19 (April 2020-May 2022) an overall excess mortality of 4.8% (95% PI 1.2%, 9.4%) concealed a significant excess (11.6%, 95% PI 5.9%, 18.9%) among older adults ( ≥ 65 years) and a deficit among children aged 1-14 years (-7.7%, 95% PI -20.9%, 6.9%). The excess mortality rate for January 2020-December 2021, age-standardised to the Kenyan population, was 27.4/100,000 person-years (95% CI 23.2-31.6). In Coastal Kenya, excess mortality during the pandemic was substantially lower than in most high-income countries but the significant excess mortality in older adults emphasizes the value of achieving high vaccine coverage in this risk group.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Otiende
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya.
| | - A Nyaguara
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - C Bottomley
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street London, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - D Walumbe
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - G Mochamah
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - D Amadi
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - C Nyundo
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - E W Kagucia
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - A O Etyang
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - I M O Adetifa
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street London, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - S P C Brand
- The Zeeman Institute for Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - E Maitha
- Department of Health, Kilifi County, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - E Chondo
- Department of Health, Kilifi County, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - E Nzomo
- Kilifi County Hospital, Kilifi, Kenya
| | - R Aman
- Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya; Afya House, Cathedral Road, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - M Mwangangi
- Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya; Afya House, Cathedral Road, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - P Amoth
- Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya; Afya House, Cathedral Road, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - K Kasera
- Ministry of Health, Government of Kenya; Afya House, Cathedral Road, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - W Ng'ang'a
- Presidential Policy and Strategy Unit, The Presidency, Government of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - E Barasa
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - B Tsofa
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - J Mwangangi
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - P Bejon
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - A Agweyu
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
| | - T N Williams
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
- Institute for Global Health Innovation, Imperial College, London, SW72AS, UK
| | - J A G Scott
- KEMRI-Wellcome Research Trust Programme, PO Box 230, Kilifi, 80108, Kenya
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street London, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
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15
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Le TTT, Warner KE, Mendez D. The evolution of age-specific smoking cessation rates in the United States from 2009 to 2017: a Kalman filter based approach. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2076. [PMID: 37875887 PMCID: PMC10594685 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-16986-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tracking the US smoking cessation rate over time is of great interest to tobacco control researchers and policymakers since smoking cessation behaviors have a major effect on the public's health. Recent studies have employed dynamic models to estimate the US cessation rate through observed smoking prevalence. However, none of those studies has provided annual estimates of the cessation rate by age group. Hence, the primary objective of this study is to estimate annual smoking cessation rates specific to different age groups in the US from 2009 to 2017. METHODS We employed a Kalman filter approach to investigate the annual evolution of age-group-specific cessation rates, unknown parameters of a mathematical model of smoking prevalence, during the 2009-2017 period using data from the 2009-2018 National Health Interview Surveys. We focused on cessation rates in the 25-44, 45-64 and 65 + age groups. RESULTS The findings show that cessation rates followed a consistent u-shaped curve over time with respect to age (i.e., higher among the 25-44 and 65 + age groups, and lower among 45-64-year-olds). Over the course of the study, the cessation rates in the 25-44 and 65 + age groups remained nearly unchanged around 4.5% and 5.6%, respectively. However, the rate in the 45-64 age group exhibited a substantial increase of 70%, from 2.5% to 2009 to 4.2% in 2017. The estimated cessation rates in all three age groups tended to converge to the weighted average cessation rate over time. CONCLUSIONS The Kalman filter approach offers a real-time estimation of cessation rates that can be helpful for monitoring smoking cessation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy T T Le
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Kenneth E Warner
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - David Mendez
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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16
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Fedorova E, Ledyaeva S, Kulikova O, Nevredinov A. Governmental anti-pandemic policies, vaccination, population mobility, Twitter narratives, and the spread of COVID-19: Evidence from the European Union countries. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023; 43:1975-2003. [PMID: 36623930 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We provide large-scale empirical evidence on the effects of multiple governmental regulatory and health policies, vaccination, population mobility, and COVID-19-related Twitter narratives on the spread of a new coronavirus infection. Using multiple-level fixed effects panel data model with weekly data for 27 European Union countries in the period of March 2020-June 2021, we show that governmental response policies were effective both in reducing the number of COVID-19 infection cases and deaths from it, particularly, in the countries with higher level of rule of law. Vaccination expectedly helped to decrease the number of virus cases. Reductions in population mobility in public places and workplaces were also powerful in fighting the pandemic. Next, we identify four core pandemic-related Twitter narratives: governmental response policies, people's sad feelings during the pandemic, vaccination, and pandemic-related international politics. We find that sad feelings' narrative helped to combat the virus spread in EU countries. Our findings also reveal that while in countries with high rule of law international politics' narrative helped to reduce the virus spread, in countries with low rule of law the effect was strictly the opposite. The latter finding suggests that trust in politicians played an important role in confronting the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Fedorova
- Department of Corporate Finance and Corporate Governance, Financial University, Moscow, Russia
- School of Finance, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Svetlana Ledyaeva
- Department of Finance and Economics, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Oksana Kulikova
- Department of Economics, Logistics and Quality Management, Siberian State Automobile and Highway University, Omsk, Russia
| | - Alexandr Nevredinov
- Department of Entrepreneurship and International Activity, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, Russia
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17
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Llorca J, Gómez-Acebo I, Alonso-Molero J, Dierssen-Sotos T. Instantaneous reproduction number and epidemic growth rate for predicting COVID-19 waves: the first 2 years of the pandemic in Spain. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1233043. [PMID: 37780431 PMCID: PMC10540620 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1233043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Several indicators were employed to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, our objective was to compare the instantaneous reproductive number and the epidemic growth rate in the Spanish population. Methods Data on daily numbers of cases, admissions into hospitals, admissions into ICUs, and deaths due to COVID-19 in Spain from March 2020 to March 2022 were obtained. The four "pandemic state indicators", which are daily numbers of cases, admissions into hospitals, admissions into ICUs, and deaths due to COVID-19 in Spain from March 2020 to March 2022 were obtained from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The epidemic growth rate was estimated as the derivative of the natural logarithm of daily cases with respect to time. Both the reproductive number and the growth rate, as "pandemic trend indicators," were evaluated according to their capacity to anticipate waves as "pandemic state indicators." Results Using both the reproductive number and the epidemic growth rate, we were able to anticipate most COVID-19 waves. In most waves, the more severe the presentation of COVID-19, the more effective the pandemic trend indicators would be. Conclusion Besides daily number of cases or other measures of disease frequency, the epidemic growth rate and the reproductive number have different roles in measuring the trend of an epidemic. Naïve interpretations and the use of any indicator as a unique value to make decisions should be discouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Llorca
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés Gómez-Acebo
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cantabria-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
| | - Jessica Alonso-Molero
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cantabria-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
| | - Trinidad Dierssen-Sotos
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Institute of Health Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Cantabria-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain
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18
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Nesteruk I. Endemic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14841. [PMID: 37684338 PMCID: PMC10491781 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41841-8] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The fourth year of the COVID-19 pandemic without decreasing trends in the global numbers of new daily cases, high numbers of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants and re-infections together with pessimistic predictions for the Omicron wave duration force studies about the endemic stage of the disease. The global trends were illustrated with the use the accumulated numbers of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, the percentages of fully vaccinated people and boosters (additional vaccinations), and the results of calculation of the effective reproduction number provided by Johns Hopkins University. A new modified SIR model with re-infections was proposed and analyzed. The estimated parameters of equilibrium show that the global numbers of new daily cases will range between 300 thousand and one million, daily deaths-between one and 3.3 thousand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Nesteruk
- Institute of Hydromechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
- Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine.
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19
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Nesteruk I. Improvement of the software for modeling the dynamics of epidemics and developing a user-friendly interface. Infect Dis Model 2023; 8:806-821. [PMID: 37496830 PMCID: PMC10366461 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The challenges humanity is facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic require timely and accurate forecasting of the dynamics of various epidemics to minimize the negative consequences for public health and the economy. One can use a variety of well-known and new mathematical models, taking into account a huge number of factors. However, complex models contain a large number of unknown parameters, the values of which must be determined using a limited number of observations, e.g., the daily datasets for the accumulated number of cases. Successful experience in modeling the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that it is possible to apply the simplest SIR model, which contains 4 unknown parameters. Application of the original algorithm of the model parameter identification for the first waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in China, South Korea, Austria, Italy, Germany, France, Spain has shown its high accuracy in predicting their duration and number of diseases. To simulate different epidemic waves and take into account the incompleteness of statistical data, the generalized SIR model and algorithms for determining the values of its parameters were proposed. The interference of the previous waves, changes in testing levels, quarantine or social behavior require constant monitoring of the epidemic dynamics and performing SIR simulations as often as possible with the use of a user-friendly interface. Such tool will allow predicting the dynamics of any epidemic using the data on the number of diseases over a limited period (e.g., 14 days). It will be possible to predict the daily number of new cases for the country as a whole or for its separate region, to estimate the number of carriers of the infection and the probability of facing such a carrier, as well as to estimate the number of deaths. Results of three SIR simulations of the COVID-19 epidemic wave in Japan in the summer of 2022 are presented and discussed. The predicted accumulated and daily numbers of cases agree with the results of observations, especially for the simulation based on the datasets corresponding to the period from July 3 to July 16, 2022. A user-friendly interface also has to ensure an opportunity to compare the epidemic dynamics in different countries/regions and in different years in order to estimate the impact of vaccination levels, quarantine restrictions, social behavior, etc. on the numbers of new infections, death, and mortality rates. As example, the comparison of the COVID-19 pandemic dynamics in Japan in the summer of 2020, 2021 and 2022 is presented. The high level of vaccinations achieved in the summer of 2022 did not save Japan from a powerful pandemic wave. The daily numbers of cases were about ten times higher than in the corresponding period of 2021. Nevertheless, the death per case ratio in 2022 was much lower than in 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Nesteruk
- Institute of Hydromechanics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Kyiv, Ukraine
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20
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Pradeep M, Raman K. COWAVE: A labelled COVID-19 wave dataset for building predictive models. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284076. [PMID: 37490468 PMCID: PMC10368260 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant global challenge to healthcare systems. Every country has seen multiple waves of this disease, placing a considerable strain on healthcare resources. Across the world, the pandemic has motivated diligent data collection, with an enormous amount of data being available in the public domain. In this manuscript, we collate COVID-19 case data from around the world (available on the World Health Organization (WHO) website), and provide various definitions for waves. Using these definitions to define labels, we create a labelled dataset, which can be used while building supervised learning classifiers. We also use a simple eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model to provide a minimum standard for future classifiers trained on this dataset and demonstrate the utility of our dataset for the prediction of (future) waves. This dataset will be a valuable resource for epidemiologists and others interested in the early prediction of future waves. The datasets are available from https://github.com/RamanLab/COWAVE/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melpakkam Pradeep
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Karthik Raman
- Centre for Integrative Biology and Systems mEdicine (IBSE), IIT Madras, Chennai, India
- Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBCDSAI), IIT Madras, Chennai, India
- Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, Chennai, India
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21
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Bergman NK, Fishman R. Correlations of mobility and Covid-19 transmission in global data. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279484. [PMID: 37467277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing the contribution of mobility declines to the control of Covid-19 diffusion is an urgent challenge of global import. We analyze the temporal correlation between transmission rates and societal mobility levels using daily mobility data from Google and Apple in an international panel of 99 countries during the period of March-December 2020. Reduced form regression estimates that flexibly control for time trends suggest that globally, a 10 percentage point reduction in mobility is associated with a 0.05-0.07 reduction in the value of the effective reproduction number, R(t). However, the strength of the association varies substantially across world regions and over time, being initially positive and strong in most world regions during the 2020 spring period, but becoming weaker over the summer, especially in Europe and Asia. We further find evidence that the strength of the association between mobility and transmission rates is reduced where facial coverings rules were implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nittai K Bergman
- Berglas School of Economics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Ram Fishman
- Department of Public Policy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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22
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Thapelo TS, Mpoeleng D, Hillhouse G. Informed Random Forest to Model Associations of Epidemiological Priors, Government Policies, and Public Mobility. MDM Policy Pract 2023; 8:23814683231218716. [PMID: 38152308 PMCID: PMC10752195 DOI: 10.1177/23814683231218716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background. Infectious diseases constitute a significant concern worldwide due to their increasing prevalence, associated health risks, and the socioeconomic costs. Machine learning (ML) models and epidemic models formulated using deterministic differential equations are the most dominant tools for analyzing and modeling the transmission of infectious diseases. However, ML models can be inconsistent in extracting the dynamics of a disease in the presence of data drifts. Likewise, the capability of epidemic models is constrained to parameter dimensions and estimation. We aimed at creating a framework of informed ML that integrates a random forest (RF) with an adapted susceptible infectious recovered (SIR) model to account for accuracy and consistency in stochasticity within the dynamics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods. An adapted SIR model was used to inform a default RF on predicting new COVID-19 cases (NCCs) at given intervals. We validated the performance of the informed RF (IRF) using real data. We used Botswana's pharmaceutical interventions (PIs) and non-PIs (NPIs) adopted between February 2020 and August 2022. The discrepancy between predictions and observations is modeled using loss functions, which are minimized, interpreted, and used to assess the IRF. Results. The findings on the real data have revealed the effectiveness of the default RF in modeling and predicting NCCs. The use of the effective reproductive rate to inform the RF yielded an excellent predictive power (84%) compared with 75% by the default RF. Conclusion. This research has potential to inform policy and decision makers in developing systems to evaluate interventions for infectious diseases. Highlights This framework is initiated by incorporating model outputs from an epidemic model to a machine learning model.An informed random forest (RF) is instantiated to model government and public responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.This framework does not require data transformations, and the epidemic model is shown to boost the RF's performance.This is a baseline knowledge-informed learning framework for assessing public health interventions in Botswana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsaone Swaabow Thapelo
- Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Dimane Mpoeleng
- Director (Ag.) Research Innovation Technology, Research Development and Innovation, Department of Computer Science and Information Systems, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Gregory Hillhouse
- Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
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23
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González RI, Moya PS, Bringa EM, Bacigalupe G, Ramírez-Santana M, Kiwi M. Model based on COVID-19 evidence to predict and improve pandemic control. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286747. [PMID: 37319168 PMCID: PMC10270358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Based on the extensive data accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, we put forward simple to implement indicators, that should alert authorities and provide early warnings of an impending sanitary crisis. In fact, Testing, Tracing, and Isolation (TTI) in conjunction with disciplined social distancing and vaccination were expected to achieve negligible COVID-19 contagion levels; however, they proved to be insufficient, and their implementation has led to controversial social, economic and ethical challenges. This paper focuses on the development of simple indicators, based on the experience gained by COVID-19 data, which provide a sort of yellow light as to when an epidemic might expand, despite some short term decrements. We show that if case growth is not stopped during the 7 to 14 days after onset, the growth risk increases considerably, and warrants immediate attention. Our model examines not only the COVID contagion propagation speed, but also how it accelerates as a function of time. We identify trends that emerge under the various policies that were applied, as well as their differences among countries. The data for all countries was obtained from ourworldindata.org. Our main conclusion is that if the reduction spread is lost during one, or at most two weeks, urgent measures should be implemented to avoid scenarios in which the epidemic gains strong impetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael I. González
- Centro de Nanotecnología Aplicada, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, CEDENNA, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo S. Moya
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eduardo M. Bringa
- Centro de Nanotecnología Aplicada, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- CONICET, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Gonzalo Bacigalupe
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States of America
- CreaSur, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Muriel Ramírez-Santana
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Miguel Kiwi
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, CEDENNA, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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24
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De Ruvo S, Pio G, Vessio G, Volpe V. Forecasting and what-if analysis of new positive COVID-19 cases during the first three waves in Italy. Med Biol Eng Comput 2023:10.1007/s11517-023-02831-0. [PMID: 37316767 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-023-02831-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The joint exploitation of data related to epidemiological, mobility, and restriction aspects of COVID-19 with machine learning algorithms can support the development of predictive models that can be used to forecast new positive cases and study the impact of more or less severe restrictions. In this work, we integrate heterogeneous data from several sources and solve a multivariate time series forecasting task, specifically targeting the Italian case at both national and regional levels, during the first three waves of the pandemic. The goal is to build a robust predictive model to predict the number of new cases over a given time horizon so that any restrictive actions can be better planned. In addition, we perform a what-if analysis based on the best-identified predictive models to evaluate the impact of specific restrictions on the trend of positive cases. Our focus on the first three waves is motivated by the fact that it represents a typical emergency scenario (when no stable cure or vaccine is available) that may occur when a new pandemic spreads. Our experimental results prove that exploiting the considered heterogeneous data leads to accurate predictive models, reaching a WAPE of 5.75% at the national level. Furthermore, in the subsequent what-if analysis, we observed that strong all-in-one initiatives, such as total lockdowns, may not be adequate, while more specific and targeted solutions should be adopted. The developed models can help policy and decision-makers better plan intervention strategies and retrospectively analyze the effects of the decisions made at different scales. Joint exploitation of data on epidemiological, mobility, and restriction aspects of COVID-19 with machine learning algorithms to learn predictive models to forecast new positive cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena De Ruvo
- Dept. of Computer Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianvito Pio
- Dept. of Computer Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy.
- Big Data Lab, National Interuniversity Consortium for Informatics (CINI), Rome, Italy.
| | - Gennaro Vessio
- Dept. of Computer Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Volpe
- Dept. of Computer Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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Yeung AWK, Parvanov ED, Horbańczuk JO, Kletecka-Pulker M, Kimberger O, Willschke H, Atanasov AG. Public interest in different types of masks and its relationship with pandemic and policy measures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study using Google Trends data. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1010674. [PMID: 37361173 PMCID: PMC10286862 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1010674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Google Trends data have been used to investigate various themes on online information seeking. It was unclear if the population from different parts of the world shared the same amount of attention to different mask types during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to reveal which types of masks were frequently searched by the public in different countries, and evaluated if public attention to masks could be related to mandatory policy, stringency of the policy, and transmission rate of COVID-19. By referring to an open dataset hosted at the online database Our World in Data, the 10 countries with the highest total number of COVID-19 cases as of 9th of February 2022 were identified. For each of these countries, the weekly new cases per million population, reproduction rate (of COVID-19), stringency index, and face covering policy score were computed from the raw daily data. Google Trends were queried to extract the relative search volume (RSV) for different types of masks from each of these countries. Results found that Google searches for N95 masks were predominant in India, whereas surgical masks were predominant in Russia, FFP2 masks were predominant in Spain, and cloth masks were predominant in both France and United Kingdom. The United States, Brazil, Germany, and Turkey had two predominant types of mask. The online searching behavior for masks markedly varied across countries. For most of the surveyed countries, the online searching for masks peaked during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic before the government implemented mandatory mask wearing. The search for masks positively correlated with the government response stringency index but not with the COVID-19 reproduction rate or the new cases per million.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Wai Kan Yeung
- Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Emil D. Parvanov
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Translational Stem Cell Biology, Research Institute of the Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Jarosław Olav Horbańczuk
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Magdalenka, Poland
| | - Maria Kletecka-Pulker
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute for Ethics and Law in Medicine, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Oliver Kimberger
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Harald Willschke
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Atanas G. Atanasov
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Magdalenka, Poland
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26
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Alyami L, Panda DK, Das S. Bayesian Noise Modelling for State Estimation of the Spread of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia with Extended Kalman Filters. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:4734. [PMID: 37430648 DOI: 10.3390/s23104734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The epistemic uncertainty in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) model-based predictions using complex noisy data greatly affects the accuracy of pandemic trend and state estimations. Quantifying the uncertainty of COVID-19 trends caused by different unobserved hidden variables is needed to evaluate the accuracy of the predictions for complex compartmental epidemiological models. A new approach for estimating the measurement noise covariance from real COVID-19 pandemic data has been presented based on the marginal likelihood (Bayesian evidence) for Bayesian model selection of the stochastic part of the Extended Kalman filter (EKF), with a sixth-order nonlinear epidemic model, known as the SEIQRD (Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Quarantined-Recovered-Dead) compartmental model. This study presents a method for testing the noise covariance in cases of dependence or independence between the infected and death errors, to better understand their impact on the predictive accuracy and reliability of EKF statistical models. The proposed approach is able to reduce the error in the quantity of interest compared to the arbitrarily chosen values in the EKF estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lamia Alyami
- Centre for Environmental Mathematics, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
- Department of Mathematics, College of Science, Najran University, Najran 11001, Saudi Arabia
| | - Deepak Kumar Panda
- Centre for Environmental Mathematics, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Saptarshi Das
- Centre for Environmental Mathematics, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
- Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QE, UK
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Harvey J, Chan B, Srivastava T, Zarebski AE, Dłotko P, Błaszczyk P, Parkinson RH, White LJ, Aguas R, Mahdi A. Epidemiological waves - Types, drivers and modulators in the COVID-19 pandemic. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16015. [PMID: 37197148 PMCID: PMC10154246 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A discussion of 'waves' of the COVID-19 epidemic in different countries is a part of the national conversation for many, but there is no hard and fast means of delineating these waves in the available data and their connection to waves in the sense of mathematical epidemiology is only tenuous. Methods We present an algorithm which processes a general time series to identify substantial, significant and sustained periods of increase in the value of the time series, which could reasonably be described as 'observed waves'. This provides an objective means of describing observed waves in time series. We use this method to synthesize evidence across different countries to study types, drivers and modulators of waves. Results The output of the algorithm as applied to epidemiological time series related to COVID-19 corresponds to visual intuition and expert opinion. Inspecting the results of individual countries shows how consecutive observed waves can differ greatly with respect to the case fatality ratio. Furthermore, in large countries, a more detailed analysis shows that consecutive observed waves have different geographical ranges. We also show how waves can be modulated by government interventions and find that early implementation of NPIs correlates with a reduced number of observed waves and reduced mortality burden in those waves. Conclusion It is possible to identify observed waves of disease by algorithmic methods and the results can be fruitfully used to analyse the progression of the epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Harvey
- Department of Mathematics, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
- School of Mathematics, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Bryan Chan
- Department of Economics, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Tarun Srivastava
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Paweł Dłotko
- Dioscuri Centre in Topological Data Analysis, Mathematical Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Błaszczyk
- Faculty of Computer Science, Electronics and Telecommunications, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland
- Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Lisa J. White
- Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ricardo Aguas
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Adam Mahdi
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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28
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Meng X, Lin J, Fan Y, Gao F, Fenoaltea EM, Cai Z, Si S. Coupled disease-vaccination behavior dynamic analysis and its application in COVID-19 pandemic. CHAOS, SOLITONS, AND FRACTALS 2023; 169:113294. [PMID: 36891356 PMCID: PMC9977628 DOI: 10.1016/j.chaos.2023.113294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic is a complex challenge. The complexity increases when the vaccination process dynamic is also considered. In addition, when applying a voluntary vaccination policy, the simultaneous behavioral evolution of individuals who decide whether and when to vaccinate must be included. In this paper, a coupled disease-vaccination behavior dynamic model is introduced to study the coevolution of individual vaccination strategies and infection spreading. We study disease transmission by a mean-field compartment model and introduce a non-linear infection rate that takes into account the simultaneity of interactions. Besides, the evolutionary game theory is used to investigate the contemporary evolution of vaccination strategies. Our findings suggest that sharing information with the entire population about the negative and positive consequences of infection and vaccination is beneficial as it boosts behaviors that can reduce the final epidemic size. Finally, we validate our transmission mechanism on real data from the COVID-19 pandemic in France.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyu Meng
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Engineering and Intelligent Manufacturing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Jianhong Lin
- Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
- Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zürich, Scheuchzerstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Yufei Fan
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Engineering and Intelligent Manufacturing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Fujuan Gao
- Department of Physics, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | | | - Zhiqiang Cai
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Engineering and Intelligent Manufacturing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Shubin Si
- Department of Industrial Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Engineering and Intelligent Manufacturing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
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29
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Arnaiz A, Guirado-Moreno JC, Guembe-García M, Barros R, Tamayo-Ramos JA, Fernández-Pampín N, García JM, Vallejos S. Lab-on-a-chip for the easy and visual detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva based on sensory polymers. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. B, CHEMICAL 2023; 379:133165. [PMID: 36536612 PMCID: PMC9751010 DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2022.133165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The initial stages of the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 showed that early detection of the virus in a simple way is the best tool until the development of vaccines. Many different tests are invasive or need the patient to cough up or even drag a sample of mucus from the throat area. Besides, the manufacturing time has proven insufficient in pandemic conditions since they were out of stock in many countries. Here we show a new method of manufacturing virus sensors and a proof of concept with SARS-CoV-2. We found that a fluorogenic peptide substrate of the main protease of the virus (Mpro) can be covalently immobilized in a polymer, with which a cellulose-based material can be coated. These sensory labels fluoresce with a single saliva sample of a positive COVID-19 patient. The results matched with that of the antigen tests in 22 of 26 studied cases (85% success rate).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Arnaiz
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
- Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle Ramiro de Maeztu, 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Carlos Guirado-Moreno
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Marta Guembe-García
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Rocio Barros
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Tamayo-Ramos
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Natalia Fernández-Pampín
- International Research Center in Critical Raw Materials for Advanced Industrial Technologies (ICCRAM), R&D Center, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - José M García
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
| | - Saúl Vallejos
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Burgos, Plaza de Misael Bañuelos s/n, 09001 Burgos, Spain
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30
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Liu T, Peng MM, Au WSH, Wong FHC, Kwok WW, Yin J, Lum TYS, Wong GHY. Depression risk among community-dwelling older people is associated with perceived COVID-19 infection risk: effects of news report latency and focusing on number of infected cases. Aging Ment Health 2023; 27:475-482. [PMID: 35260014 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2045562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Awareness of COVID-19 infection risk and oscillation patterns ('waves') may affect older people's mental health. Empirical data from populations experiencing multiple waves of community outbreaks can inform guidance for maintaining mental health. This study aims to investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection risk and oscillations on depression among community-dwelling older people in Hong Kong. A rolling cross-sectional telephone survey method was used. Screening for depression risk was conducted among 8,163 older people (age ≥ 60) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) from February to August 2020. The relationships between PHQ-2, COVID-19 infection risk proxies - change in newly infected cases and effective reproductive number (Rt), and oscillations - stage of a 'wave' reported in the media, were analysed using correlation and regression. 8.4% of survey respondents screened positive for depression risk. Being female (β = .08), having a pre-existing mental health issue (β = .21), change in newly infected cases (β = .05), and screening during the latency period before the media called out new waves (β = .03), contributed to higher depression risk (R2 = .06, all p <.01). While depression risk does not appear alarming in this sample, our results highlight that older people are sensitive to reporting of infection, particularly among those with existing mental health needs. Future public health communication should balance awareness of infection risks with mental health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyin Liu
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Man-Man Peng
- Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai, China
| | - Walker Siu Hong Au
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Frankie Ho Chun Wong
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Wai-Wai Kwok
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jiayi Yin
- London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
| | - Terry Yat Sang Lum
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Gloria Hoi Yan Wong
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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31
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Costello F, Watts P, Howe R. A model of behavioural response to risk accurately predicts the statistical distribution of COVID-19 infection and reproduction numbers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2435. [PMID: 36765110 PMCID: PMC9913038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28752-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
One clear aspect of behaviour in the COVID-19 pandemic has been people's focus on, and response to, reported or observed infection numbers in their community. We describe a simple model of infectious disease spread in a pandemic situation where people's behaviour is influenced by the current risk of infection and where this behavioural response acts homeostatically to return infection risk to a certain preferred level. This homeostatic response is active until approximate herd immunity is reached: in this domain the model predicts that the reproduction rate R will be centred around a median of 1, that proportional change in infection numbers will follow the standard Cauchy distribution with location and scale parameters 0 and 1, and that high infection numbers will follow a power-law frequency distribution with exponent 2. To test these predictions we used worldwide COVID-19 data from 1st February 2020 to 30th June 2022 to calculate [Formula: see text] confidence interval estimates across countries for these R, location, scale and exponent parameters. The resulting median R estimate was [Formula: see text] (predicted value 1) the proportional change location estimate was [Formula: see text] (predicted value 0), the proportional change scale estimate was [Formula: see text] (predicted value 1), and the frequency distribution exponent estimate was [Formula: see text] (predicted value 2); in each case the observed estimate agreed with model predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fintan Costello
- School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, D4, Ireland.
| | - Paul Watts
- Department of Theoretical Physics, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Rita Howe
- School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, D4, Ireland
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32
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Vattiato G, Lustig A, Maclaren O, Binny RN, Hendy SC, Harvey E, O'Neale D, Plank MJ. Modelling Aotearoa New Zealand's COVID-19 protection framework and the transition away from the elimination strategy. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220766. [PMID: 36756071 PMCID: PMC9890088 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
For the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand used an elimination strategy to suppress community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to zero or very low levels. In late 2021, high vaccine coverage enabled the country to transition away from the elimination strategy to a mitigation strategy. However, given negligible levels of immunity from prior infection, this required careful planning and an effective public health response to avoid uncontrolled outbreaks and unmanageable health impacts. Here, we develop an age-structured model for the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 including the effects of vaccination, case isolation, contact tracing, border controls and population-wide control measures. We use this model to investigate how epidemic trajectories may respond to different control strategies, and to explore trade-offs between restrictions in the community and restrictions at the border. We find that a low case tolerance strategy, with a quick change to stricter public health measures in response to increasing cases, reduced the health burden by a factor of three relative to a high tolerance strategy, but almost tripled the time spent in national lockdowns. Increasing the number of border arrivals was found to have a negligible effect on health burden once high vaccination rates were achieved and community transmission was widespread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Vattiato
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Audrey Lustig
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
- Manaaki Whenua, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Oliver Maclaren
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Rachelle N. Binny
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
- Manaaki Whenua, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Shaun C. Hendy
- Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Emily Harvey
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
- M.E. Research, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Dion O'Neale
- Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Michael J. Plank
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Te Pūnaha Matatini, Auckland, New Zealand
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33
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Polyzos E, Fotiadis A, Huan TC. From Heroes to Scoundrels: Exploring the effects of online campaigns celebrating frontline workers on COVID-19 outcomes. TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY 2023; 72:102198. [PMID: 36712551 PMCID: PMC9859648 DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper examines the effects of online campaigns celebrating frontline workers on COVID-19 outcomes regarding new cases, deaths, and vaccinations, using the United Kingdom as a case study. We implement text and sentiment analysis on Twitter data and feed the result into random regression forests and cointegration analysis. Our combined machine learning and econometric approach shows very weak effects of both the volume and the sentiment of Twitter discussions on new cases, deaths, and vaccinations. On the other hand, established relationships (such as between stringency measures and cases/deaths and between vaccinations and deaths) are confirmed. On the contrary, we find adverse lagged effects from negative sentiment to vaccinations and from new cases to negative sentiment posts. As we assess the knowledge acquired from the COVID-19 crisis, our findings can be used by policy makers, particularly in public health, and prepare for the next pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efstathios Polyzos
- College of Business, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anestis Fotiadis
- College of Business, Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Campus, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tzung-Cheng Huan
- Department of Marketing and Tourism Management, National Chiayi University, Taiwan
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34
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Sun Q, Miyoshi T, Richard S. Analysis of COVID-19 in Japan with extended SEIR model and ensemble Kalman filter. JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS 2023; 419:114772. [PMID: 36061090 PMCID: PMC9420319 DOI: 10.1016/j.cam.2022.114772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We introduce an extended SEIR infectious disease model with data assimilation for the study of the spread of COVID-19. In this framework, undetected asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases are taken into account, and the impact of their uncertain proportion is fully investigated. The standard SEIR model does not consider these populations, while their role in the propagation of the disease is acknowledged. An ensemble Kalman filter is implemented to assimilate reliable observations of three compartments in the model. The system tracks the evolution of the effective reproduction number and estimates the unobservable subpopulations. The analysis is carried out for three main prefectures of Japan and for the entire country of Japan. For these four communities, our estimated effective reproduction numbers are more stable than the corresponding ones estimated by a different method (Toyokeizai). We also perform sensitivity tests for different values of some uncertain medical parameters, like the relative infectivity of symptomatic/asymptomatic cases. The regional analysis results suggest the decreasing efficiency of the states of emergency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Q Sun
- Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- Graduate School of Mathematics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
| | - T Miyoshi
- Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- Prediction Science Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR), Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS), Wako 351-0198, Japan
| | - S Richard
- Data Assimilation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science (R-CCS), Kobe 650-0047, Japan
- Graduate School of Mathematics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8602, Japan
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35
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Abstract
We examine how policymakers react to a pandemic with uncertainty around key epidemiological and economic policy parameters by embedding a macroeconomic SIR model in a robust control framework. Uncertainty about disease virulence and severity leads to stricter and more persistent quarantines, while uncertainty about the economic costs of mitigation leads to less stringent quarantines. On net, an uncertainty-averse planner adopts stronger mitigation measures. Intuitively, the cost of underestimating the pandemic is out-of-control growth and permanent loss of life, while the cost of underestimating the economic consequences of quarantine is more transitory.
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36
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Collin A, Hejblum BP, Vignals C, Lehot L, Thiébaut R, Moireau P, Prague M. Using a population-based Kalman estimator to model the COVID-19 epidemic in France: estimating associations between disease transmission and non-pharmaceutical interventions. Int J Biostat 2023; 0:ijb-2022-0087. [PMID: 36607837 DOI: 10.1515/ijb-2022-0087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, governments have adopted a wide range of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI). These include stringent measures such as strict lockdowns, closing schools, bars and restaurants, curfews, and barrier gestures such as mask-wearing and social distancing. Deciphering the effectiveness of each NPI is critical to responding to future waves and outbreaks. To this end, we first develop a dynamic model of the French COVID-19 epidemics over a one-year period. We rely on a global extended Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) mechanistic model of infection that includes a dynamic transmission rate over time. Multilevel data across French regions are integrated using random effects on the parameters of the mechanistic model, boosting statistical power by multiplying integrated observation series. We estimate the parameters using a new population-based statistical approach based on a Kalman filter, used for the first time in analysing real-world data. We then fit the estimated time-varying transmission rate using a regression model that depends on the NPIs while accounting for vaccination coverage, the occurrence of variants of concern (VoC), and seasonal weather conditions. We show that all NPIs considered have an independent significant association with transmission rates. In addition, we show a strong association between weather conditions that reduces transmission in summer, and we also estimate increased transmissibility of VoC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Collin
- Inria, Inria Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest, Bordeaux INP, IMB UMR 5251, Université Bordeaux, Talence, France
| | - Boris P Hejblum
- Inria, Inria Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest, Talence, Univ. Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, SISTM Team, UMR 1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
- Vaccine Research Institute, F-94000 Créteil, France
| | - Carole Vignals
- Inria, Inria Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest, Talence, Univ. Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, SISTM Team, UMR 1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
- Vaccine Research Institute, F-94000 Créteil, France
- CHU Pellegrin, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Laurent Lehot
- Inria, Inria Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest, Talence, Univ. Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, SISTM Team, UMR 1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
- Vaccine Research Institute, F-94000 Créteil, France
| | - Rodolphe Thiébaut
- Inria, Inria Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest, Talence, Univ. Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, SISTM Team, UMR 1219, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
- Vaccine Research Institute, F-94000 Créteil, France
- CHU Pellegrin, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
| | - Philippe Moireau
- ISPED Inserm U1219 Bordeaux Population Health Bureau 23 146 rue Leo Saignat CS 61292 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Mélanie Prague
- Inria, Inria Saclay-Ile de France, France and LMS, CNRS UMR 7649, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
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37
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Papageorgiou VE, Tsaklidis G. An improved epidemiological-unscented Kalman filter (hybrid SEIHCRDV-UKF) model for the prediction of COVID-19. Application on real-time data. CHAOS, SOLITONS, AND FRACTALS 2023; 166:112914. [PMID: 36440087 PMCID: PMC9676173 DOI: 10.1016/j.chaos.2022.112914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The prevalence of COVID-19 has been the most serious health challenge of the 21th century to date, concerning national health systems on a daily basis, since December 2019 when it appeared in Wuhan City. Nevertheless, most of the proposed mathematical methodologies aiming to describe the dynamics of an epidemic, rely on deterministic models that are not able to reflect the true nature of its spread. In this paper, we propose a SEIHCRDV model - an extension/improvement of the classic SIR compartmental model - which also takes into consideration the populations of exposed, hospitalized, admitted in intensive care units (ICU), deceased and vaccinated cases, in combination with an unscented Kalman filter (UKF), providing a dynamic estimation of the time dependent system's parameters. The stochastic approach is considered necessary, as both observations and system equations are characterized by uncertainties. Apparently, this new consideration is useful for examining various pandemics more effectively. The reliability of the model is examined on the daily recordings of COVID-19 in France, over a long period of 265 days. Two major waves of infection are observed, starting in January 2021, which signified the start of vaccinations in Europe providing quite encouraging predictive performance, based on the produced NRMSE values. Special emphasis is placed on proving the non-negativity of SEIHCRDV model, achieving a representative basic reproductive number R 0 and demonstrating the existence and stability of disease equilibria according to the formula produced to estimate R 0 . The model outperforms in predictive ability not only deterministic approaches but also state-of-the-art stochastic models that employ Kalman filters. Furthermore, the relevant analysis supports the importance of vaccination, as even a small increase in the dialy vaccination rate could lead to a notable reduction in mortality and hospitalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George Tsaklidis
- Department of Mathematics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
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38
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Funke M, Ho TK, Tsang A. Containment measures during the COVID pandemic: The role of non-pharmaceutical health policies. JOURNAL OF POLICY MODELING 2023; 45:90-102. [PMID: 36532102 PMCID: PMC9743694 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpolmod.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Many countries have imposed a set of non-pharmaceutical health policy interventions in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of the interventions, drawing on evidence from the OECD countries. A special feature here is the mechanism that underlies the impact of the containment policies. To this end, a causal mediation analysis decomposing the total effect into a direct and an indirect effect is conducted. The key finding is a dual cause-effect channel. On the one hand, there is a direct effect of the non-pharmaceutical interventions on the various health variables. Beyond this, a quantitatively dominant indirect impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions operating via voluntary changes in social distancing is shown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Funke
- Hamburg University, Department of Economics, Germany
- Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Economics and Finance, Estonia
| | - Tai-Kuang Ho
- National Taiwan University, Department of Economics, Taiwan
| | - Andrew Tsang
- ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office - AMRO, Singapore
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39
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Ho P, Lubik TA, Matthes C. How to go viral: A COVID-19 model with endogenously time-varying parameters. JOURNAL OF ECONOMETRICS 2023; 232:70-86. [PMID: 33519026 PMCID: PMC7833926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconom.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We estimate a panel model with endogenously time-varying parameters for COVID-19 cases and deaths in U.S. states. The functional form for infections incorporates important features of epidemiological models but is flexibly parameterized to capture different trajectories of the pandemic. Daily deaths are modeled as a spike-and-slab regression on lagged cases. Our Bayesian estimation reveals that social distancing and testing have significant effects on the parameters. For example, a 10 percentage point increase in the positive test rate is associated with a 2 percentage point increase in the death rate among reported cases. The model forecasts perform well, even relative to models from epidemiology and statistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Ho
- Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Research Department, P.O. Box 27622, Richmond, VA 23261, United States of America
| | - Thomas A Lubik
- Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Research Department, P.O. Box 27622, Richmond, VA 23261, United States of America
| | - Christian Matthes
- Indiana University, Wylie Hall, 100 South Woodlawn Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States of America
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40
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Djordjevic M, Markovic S, Salom I, Djordjevic M. Understanding risk factors of a new variant outburst through global analysis of Omicron transmissibility. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114446. [PMID: 36208783 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of a new virus variant is generally recognized by its usually sudden and rapid spread (outburst) in a certain world region. Due to the near-exponential rate of initial expansion, the new strain may not be detected at its true geographical origin but in the area with the most favorable conditions leading to the fastest exponential growth. Therefore, it is crucial to understand better the factors that promote such outbursts, which we address in the example of analyzing global Omicron transmissibility during its global emergence/outburst in November 2021-February 2022. As predictors, we assemble a number of potentially relevant factors: vaccinations (both full and boosters), different measures of population mobility (provided by Google), estimated stringency of measures, the prevalence of chronic diseases, population age, the timing of the outburst, and several other socio-demographic variables. As a proxy for natural immunity (prevalence of prior infections in population), we use cumulative numbers of COVID-19 deaths. As a response variable (transmissibility measure), we use the estimated effective reproduction number (Re) averaged in the vicinity of the outburst maxima. To select significant predictors of Re, we use machine learning regressions that employ feature selection, including methods based on ensembles of decision trees (Random Forest and Gradient Boosting). We identify the young population, earlier infection onset, higher mobility, low natural immunity, and low booster prevalence as likely direct risk factors. Interestingly, we find that all these risk factors were significantly higher for Africa, though curiously somewhat lower in Southern African countries (where the outburst emerged) compared to other African countries. Therefore, while the risk factors related to the virus transmissibility clearly promote the outburst of a new virus variant, specific regions/countries where the outburst actually happens may be related to less evident factors, possibly random in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Djordjevic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Sofija Markovic
- Quantitative Biology Group, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Igor Salom
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Magdalena Djordjevic
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
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41
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Drachal K, González Cortés D. Estimation of Lockdowns' Impact on Well-Being in Selected Countries: An Application of Novel Bayesian Methods and Google Search Queries Data. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:421. [PMID: 36612742 PMCID: PMC9819235 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Lockdowns introduced in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant impact on societies from an economic, psychological, and health perspective. This paper presents estimations of their impact on well-being, understood both from the perspective of mental health and considering economic security and similar factors. This is not an easy task because well-being is influenced by numerous factors and the changes happen dynamically. Moreover, there are some obstacles when using the control group. However, other studies show that in certain cases it is possible to approximate selected phenomena with Google search queries data. Secondly, the econometric issues related to the suitable modeling of such a problem can be solved, for example, by using Bayesian methods. In particular, herein the recently gaining in popularity Bayesian structural time series and Bayesian dynamic mixture models are used. Indeed, these methods have not been used in social sciences extensively. However, in the fields where they have been used, they have been very efficient. Especially, they are useful when short time series are analyzed and when there are many variables that potentially have a significant explanatory impact on the response variable. Finally, 15 culturally different and geographically widely scattered countries are analyzed (i.e., Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Little evidence of any substantial changes in the Internet search intensity on terms connected with negative aspects of well-being and mental health issues is found. For example, in Mexico, some evidence of a decrease in well-being after lockdown was found. However, in Italy, there was weak evidence of an increase in well-being. Nevertheless, the Bayesian structural time series method has been found to fit the data most accurately. Indeed, it was found to be a superior method for causal analysis over the commonly used difference-in-differences method or Bayesian dynamic mixture models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Drachal
- Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, 00-241 Warszawa, Poland
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42
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Smith-Sreen J, Miller B, Kabaghe AN, Kim E, Wadonda-Kabondo N, Frawley A, Labuda S, Manuel E, Frietas H, Mwale AC, Segolodi T, Harvey P, Seitio-Kgokgwe O, Vergara AE, Gudo ES, Dziuban EJ, Shoopala N, Hines JZ, Agolory S, Kapina M, Sinyange N, Melchior M, Mirkovic K, Mahomva A, Modhi S, Salyer S, Azman AS, McLean C, Riek LP, Asiimwe F, Adler M, Mazibuko S, Okello V, Auld AF. Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic Waves in 10 Countries in Southern Africa, 2020-2021. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:S93-S104. [PMID: 36502398 DOI: 10.3201/eid2813.220228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We used publicly available data to describe epidemiology, genomic surveillance, and public health and social measures from the first 3 COVID-19 pandemic waves in southern Africa during April 6, 2020-September 19, 2021. South Africa detected regional waves on average 7.2 weeks before other countries. Average testing volume 244 tests/million/day) increased across waves and was highest in upper-middle-income countries. Across the 3 waves, average reported regional incidence increased (17.4, 51.9, 123.3 cases/1 million population/day), as did positivity of diagnostic tests (8.8%, 12.2%, 14.5%); mortality (0.3, 1.5, 2.7 deaths/1 million populaiton/day); and case-fatality ratios (1.9%, 2.1%, 2.5%). Beta variant (B.1.351) drove the second wave and Delta (B.1.617.2) the third. Stringent implementation of safety measures declined across waves. As of September 19, 2021, completed vaccination coverage remained low (8.1% of total population). Our findings highlight opportunities for strengthening surveillance, health systems, and access to realistically available therapeutics, and scaling up risk-based vaccination.
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43
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Campi G, Perali A, Marcelli A, Bianconi A. Sars-Cov2 world pandemic recurrent waves controlled by variants evolution and vaccination campaign. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18108. [PMID: 36302922 PMCID: PMC9612611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-22816-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
While understanding the time evolution of Covid-19 pandemic is needed to plan economics and tune sanitary policies, a quantitative information of the recurrent epidemic waves is elusive. This work describes a statistical physics study of the subsequent waves in the epidemic spreading of Covid-19 and disclose the frequency components of the epidemic waves pattern over two years in United States, United Kingdom and Japan. These countries have been taken as representative cases of different containment policies such as "Mitigation" (USA and UK) and "Zero Covid" (Japan) policies. The supercritical phases in spreading have been identified by intervals with RIC-index > 0. We have used the wavelet transform of infection and fatality waves to get the spectral analysis showing a dominant component around 130 days. Data of the world dynamic clearly indicates also the crossover to a different phase due to the enforcement of vaccination campaign. In Japan and United Kingdom, we observed the emergence in the infection waves of a long period component (~ 170 days) during vaccination campaign. These results indicate slowing down of the epidemic spreading dynamics due to the vaccination campaign. Finally, we find an intrinsic difference between infection and fatality waves pointing to a non-trivial variation of the lethality due to different gene variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Campi
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Crystallography, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche CNR, Via Salaria Km 29.300, Monterotondo Roma, 00015 Rome, Italy ,grid.499323.6Rome International Centre Materials Science, Superstripes RICMASS, Via dei Sabelli 119A, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Perali
- grid.5602.10000 0000 9745 6549Physics Unit, School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, MC Italy
| | - Augusto Marcelli
- grid.463190.90000 0004 0648 0236INFN-Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Via E. Fermi 54, 00044 Frascati, RM Italy
| | - Antonio Bianconi
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute of Crystallography, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche CNR, Via Salaria Km 29.300, Monterotondo Roma, 00015 Rome, Italy ,grid.499323.6Rome International Centre Materials Science, Superstripes RICMASS, Via dei Sabelli 119A, 00185 Rome, Italy ,grid.183446.c0000 0000 8868 5198National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Moscow, Russian Federation 115409
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Rahmandad H, Xu R, Ghaffarzadegan N. A missing behavioural feedback in COVID-19 models is the key to several puzzles. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7:bmjgh-2022-010463. [PMID: 36283733 PMCID: PMC9606737 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ran Xu
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| | - Navid Ghaffarzadegan
- Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
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45
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Epidemic spreading under mutually independent intra- and inter-host pathogen evolution. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6218. [PMID: 36266285 PMCID: PMC9584276 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34027-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamics of epidemic spreading is often reduced to the single control parameter R0 (reproduction-rate), whose value, above or below unity, determines the state of the contagion. If, however, the pathogen evolves as it spreads, R0 may change over time, potentially leading to a mutation-driven spread, in which an initially sub-pandemic pathogen undergoes a breakthrough mutation. To predict the boundaries of this pandemic phase, we introduce here a modeling framework to couple the inter-host network spreading patterns with the intra-host evolutionary dynamics. We find that even in the extreme case when these two process are driven by mutually independent selection forces, mutations can still fundamentally alter the pandemic phase-diagram. The pandemic transitions, we show, are now shaped, not just by R0, but also by the balance between the epidemic and the evolutionary timescales. If mutations are too slow, the pathogen prevalence decays prior to the appearance of a critical mutation. On the other hand, if mutations are too rapid, the pathogen evolution becomes volatile and, once again, it fails to spread. Between these two extremes, however, we identify a broad range of conditions in which an initially sub-pandemic pathogen can breakthrough to gain widespread prevalence.
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46
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Dhungel B, Rahman MS, Rahman MM, Bhandari AKC, Le PM, Biva NA, Gilmour S. Reliability of Early Estimates of the Basic Reproduction Number of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:11613. [PMID: 36141893 PMCID: PMC9517346 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This systematic review estimated the pooled R0 for early COVID-19 outbreaks and identified the impact of study-related factors such as methods, study location and study period on the estimated R0. METHODS We searched electronic databases for human studies published in English between 1 December 2019 and 30 September 2020 with no restriction on country/region. Two investigators independently performed the data extraction of the studies selected for inclusion during full-text screening. The primary outcome, R0, was analysed by random-effects meta-analysis using the restricted maximum likelihood method. RESULTS We identified 26,425 studies through our search and included 151 articles in the systematic review, among which 81 were included in the meta-analysis. The estimates of R0 from studies included in the meta-analysis ranged from 0.4 to 12.58. The pooled R0 for COVID-19 was estimated to be 2.66 (95% CI, 2.41-2.94). The results showed heterogeneity among studies and strong evidence of a small-study effect. CONCLUSIONS The high heterogeneity in studies makes the use of the R0 for basic epidemic planning difficult and presents a huge problem for risk assessment and data synthesis. Consensus on the use of R0 for outbreak assessment is needed, and its use for assessing epidemic risk is not recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibha Dhungel
- Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Department of Health Policy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
| | - Md. Shafiur Rahman
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan
| | | | - Aliza K. C. Bhandari
- Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
- Department of Health Policy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
| | - Phuong Mai Le
- Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Nushrat Alam Biva
- Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
| | - Stuart Gilmour
- Graduate School of Public Health, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan
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47
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Puspita JW, Fakhruddin M, Nuraini N, Soewono E. Time-dependent force of infection and effective reproduction ratio in an age-structure dengue transmission model in Bandung City, Indonesia. Infect Dis Model 2022; 7:430-447. [PMID: 35891623 PMCID: PMC9294205 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dengue virus infection is a leading health problem in many endemic countries, including Indonesia, characterized by high morbidity and wide spread. It is known that the risk factors that influence the transmission intensity vary among different age groups, which can have implications for dengue control strategies. A time-dependent four - age structure model of dengue transmission was constructed in this study. A vaccination scenario as control strategy was also applied to one of the age groups. Daily incidence data of dengue cases from Santo Borromeus Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia, from 2014 to 2016 was used to estimate the infection rate. We used two indicators to identify the changes in dengue transmission intensity for this period in each age group: the annual force of infection (FoI) and the effective reproduction ratio based on a time-dependent transmission rate. The results showed that the yearly FoI of children (age 0-4 years) increased significantly from 2014 to 2015, at 10.08%. Overall, the highest FoI before and after vaccination occurred in youngsters (age 5-14 years), with a FoI of about 6% per year. In addition, based on the daily effective reproduction ratio, it was found that vaccination of youngsters could reduce the number of dengue cases in Bandung city faster than vaccination of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juni Wijayanti Puspita
- Doctoral Program of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha, 10, Bandung, 40132, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Fakhruddin
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Military Mathematics and Natural Sciences, The Republic of Indonesia Defense University, IPSC Area, Sentul, Bogor, 16810, Indonesia
| | - Nuning Nuraini
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha, 10, Bandung, 40132, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | - Edy Soewono
- Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha, 10, Bandung, 40132, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
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48
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Izadi Z, Gianfrancesco MA, Schmajuk G, Jacobsohn L, Katz P, Rush S, Ja C, Taylor T, Shidara K, Danila MI, Wysham KD, Strangfeld A, Mateus EF, Hyrich KL, Gossec L, Carmona L, Lawson-Tovey S, Kearsley-Fleet L, Schaefer M, Al-Emadi S, Sparks JA, Hsu TYT, Patel NJ, Wise L, Gilbert E, Duarte-García A, Valenzuela-Almada MO, Ugarte-Gil MF, Ljung L, Scirè CA, Carrara G, Hachulla E, Richez C, Cacoub P, Thomas T, Santos MJ, Bernardes M, Hasseli R, Regierer A, Schulze-Koops H, Müller-Ladner U, Pons-Estel G, Tanten R, Nieto RE, Pisoni CN, Tissera YS, Xavier R, Lopes Marques CD, Pileggi GCS, Robinson PC, Machado PM, Sirotich E, Liew JW, Hausmann JS, Sufka P, Grainger R, Bhana S, Gore-Massy M, Wallace ZS, Yazdany J. Environmental and societal factors associated with COVID-19-related death in people with rheumatic disease: an observational study. THE LANCET. RHEUMATOLOGY 2022; 4:e603-e613. [PMID: 35909441 PMCID: PMC9313519 DOI: 10.1016/s2665-9913(22)00192-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Background Differences in the distribution of individual-level clinical risk factors across regions do not fully explain the observed global disparities in COVID-19 outcomes. We aimed to investigate the associations between environmental and societal factors and country-level variations in mortality attributed to COVID-19 among people with rheumatic disease globally. Methods In this observational study, we derived individual-level data on adults (aged 18-99 years) with rheumatic disease and a confirmed status of their highest COVID-19 severity level from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance (GRA) registry, collected between March 12, 2020, and Aug 27, 2021. Environmental and societal factors were obtained from publicly available sources. The primary endpoint was mortality attributed to COVID-19. We used a multivariable logistic regression to evaluate independent associations between environmental and societal factors and death, after controlling for individual-level risk factors. We used a series of nested mixed-effects models to establish whether environmental and societal factors sufficiently explained country-level variations in death. Findings 14 044 patients from 23 countries were included in the analyses. 10 178 (72·5%) individuals were female and 3866 (27·5%) were male, with a mean age of 54·4 years (SD 15·6). Air pollution (odds ratio 1·10 per 10 μg/m3 [95% CI 1·01-1·17]; p=0·0105), proportion of the population aged 65 years or older (1·19 per 1% increase [1·10-1·30]; p<0·0001), and population mobility (1·03 per 1% increase in number of visits to grocery and pharmacy stores [1·02-1·05]; p<0·0001 and 1·02 per 1% increase in number of visits to workplaces [1·00-1·03]; p=0·032) were independently associated with higher odds of mortality. Number of hospital beds (0·94 per 1-unit increase per 1000 people [0·88-1·00]; p=0·046), human development index (0·65 per 0·1-unit increase [0·44-0·96]; p=0·032), government response stringency (0·83 per 10-unit increase in containment index [0·74-0·93]; p=0·0018), as well as follow-up time (0·78 per month [0·69-0·88]; p<0·0001) were independently associated with lower odds of mortality. These factors sufficiently explained country-level variations in death attributable to COVID-19 (intraclass correlation coefficient 1·2% [0·1-9·5]; p=0·14). Interpretation Our findings highlight the importance of environmental and societal factors as potential explanations of the observed regional disparities in COVID-19 outcomes among people with rheumatic disease and lay foundation for a new research agenda to address these disparities. Funding American College of Rheumatology and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zara Izadi
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Milena A Gianfrancesco
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gabriela Schmajuk
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay Jacobsohn
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Patricia Katz
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie Rush
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Clairissa Ja
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany Taylor
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kie Shidara
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Maria I Danila
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Katherine D Wysham
- VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Anja Strangfeld
- German Rheumatism Research Center, Epidemiology and Health Care Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elsa F Mateus
- Portuguese League Against Rheumatic Diseases, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Kimme L Hyrich
- Centre for Epidemiology Versus Arthritis, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Manchester-NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Laure Gossec
- INSERM, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Rheumatology Department, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | | | - Saskia Lawson-Tovey
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, University of Manchester-NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Martin Schaefer
- German Rheumatism Research Center, Epidemiology and Health Care Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jeffrey A Sparks
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tiffany Y-T Hsu
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Naomi J Patel
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leanna Wise
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Emily Gilbert
- Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Alí Duarte-García
- Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- Robert D and Patricia E Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - Manuel F Ugarte-Gil
- School of Medicine, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen, EsSalud, Lima, Peru
| | - Lotta Ljung
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine and Department of Rheumatology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carlo A Scirè
- Epidemiology Research Unit, Italian Society for Rheumatology, Milan, Italy
| | - Greta Carrara
- Epidemiology Research Unit, Italian Society for Rheumatology, Milan, Italy
| | - Eric Hachulla
- INSERM, CHU Lille, Service de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, Centre de référence des maladies autoimmunes systémiques rares du Nord et Nord-Ouest de France, U1286-INFINITE-Institute for Translational Research in Inflammation, Université de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Christophe Richez
- Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Pellegrin, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Bordeux, France
- UMR-CNRS 5164, ImmunoConcEpT, Bordeaux University, Bordeaux, France
| | - Patrice Cacoub
- INSERM 959, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Thierry Thomas
- Département de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Centre National de Références Maladies Autoimmunes systémiques rares, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Centre National de Références Maladies Autoinflammatoires et Amylose Inflammatoire, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Inflammation-Immunopathology-Biotherapy Department, Sorbonne Universites, Groupe Hopital Universitaire Pitie Salpetriere, AP-HP, Paris, France
- Department of Rheumatology, Hôpital Nord, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-Etienne, INSERM U1059, Lyon University, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Maria J Santos
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade Medicina Lisboa, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Bernardes
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Rheumatology Department, Centro Hospitalar-Universitário de São João, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rebecca Hasseli
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Anne Regierer
- German Rheumatism Research Center, Epidemiology and Health Care Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hendrik Schulze-Koops
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulf Müller-Ladner
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Romina Tanten
- Hospital Francisco Lopez Lima, General Roca, Argentina
| | - Romina E Nieto
- Department of Rheumatology, Grupo Oroño-Centro Regional de Enfermedades Autoinmunes y Reumáticas, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Cecilia N Pisoni
- Rheumatology and Immunology Section, Centro de Educación Médica e Investigaciones Clínicas "Norberto Quirno", Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yohana S Tissera
- Servicio de Clínica Médica, Unidad de Reumatología del Hospital Córdoba and Sanatorio Parque de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ricardo Xavier
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | | | - Philip C Robinson
- University of Queensland Medical School, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Pedro M Machado
- University College London, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Northwick Park Hospital, London North-West University Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Emily Sirotich
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jean W Liew
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonathan S Hausmann
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Grainger
- Department of Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | | | - Zachary S Wallace
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jinoos Yazdany
- Division of Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Tavakkoli M, Karim A, Fischer FB, Monzon Llamas L, Raoofi A, Zafar S, Sant Fruchtman C, de Savigny D, Takian A, Antillon M, Cobos Muñoz D. From Public Health Policy to Impact for COVID-19: A Multi-Country Case Study in Switzerland, Spain, Iran and Pakistan. Int J Public Health 2022; 67:1604969. [PMID: 36119450 PMCID: PMC9472296 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2022.1604969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: With the application of a systems thinking lens, we aimed to assess the national COVID-19 response across health systems components in Switzerland, Spain, Iran, and Pakistan. Methods: We conducted four case studies on the policy response of national health systems to the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Selected countries include different health system typologies. We collected data prospectively for the period of January–July 2020 on 17 measures of the COVID-19 response recommended by the WHO that encompassed all health systems domains (governance, financing, health workforce, information, medicine and technology and service delivery). We further monitored contextual factors influencing their adoption or deployment. Results: The policies enacted coincided with a decrease in the COVID-19 transmission. However, there was inadequate communication and a perception that the measures were adverse to the economy, weakening political support for their continuation and leading to a rapid resurgence in transmission. Conclusion: Social pressure, religious beliefs, governance structure and level of administrative decentralization or global economic sanctions played a major role in how countries’ health systems could respond to the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Tavakkoli
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Maryam Tavakkoli,
| | - Aliya Karim
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabienne Beatrice Fischer
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Azam Raoofi
- Department of Health Management, Policy & Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Health Equity Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Carmen Sant Fruchtman
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Don de Savigny
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amirhossein Takian
- Health Equity Research Centre, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Global Health & Public Policy, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marina Antillon
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Cobos Muñoz
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Basel, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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50
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Redlin M. Differences in NPI strategies against COVID-19. JOURNAL OF REGULATORY ECONOMICS 2022; 62:1-23. [PMID: 36035787 PMCID: PMC9395806 DOI: 10.1007/s11149-022-09452-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Non-pharmaceutical interventions are an effective strategy to prevent and control COVID-19 transmission in the community. However, the timing and stringency to which these measures have been implemented varied between countries and regions. The differences in stringency can only to a limited extent be explained by the number of infections and the prevailing vaccination strategies. Our study aims to shed more light on the lockdown strategies and to identify the determinants underlying the differences between countries on regional, economic, institutional, and political level. Based on daily panel data for 173 countries and the period from January 2020 to October 2021 we find significant regional differences in lockdown strategies. Further, more prosperous countries implemented milder restrictions but responded more quickly, while poorer countries introduced more stringent measures but had a longer response time. Finally, democratic regimes and stronger manifested institutions alleviated and slowed down the introduction of lockdown measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarete Redlin
- Department of Economics, Paderborn University, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn, Germany
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