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Coker RK, Armstrong A, Church AC, Holmes S, Naylor J, Pike K, Saunders P, Spurling KJ, Vaughn P. BTS Clinical Statement on air travel for passengers with respiratory disease. Thorax 2022; 77:329-350. [PMID: 35228307 PMCID: PMC8938676 DOI: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-218110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robina Kate Coker
- Respiratory Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Alison Armstrong
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | | | | | - Katharine Pike
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, UK
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Bin Abdulrahman AK, Bin Abdulrahman KA, Nouh RM. Response of Saudi Population to Strict Preventive Measures against COVID-19. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:13424. [PMID: 34949030 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182413424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Saudi ministry of health (MOH) started the preventive measures very early on before having a single case of COVID-19. There were very few studies regarding the awareness and adherence to the preventive measures against COVID-19 among the Saudi population in the literature. Objectives: The study aims to examine the awareness and commitment to the strict Saudi government preventive measures against COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey targeted Saudi and non-Saudi populations aged 18+ in March–April 2020. The online questionnaire was designed to explore the participant’s sociodemographic data, washing hygiene habits, the general level of awareness regarding COVID-19, and the extent to which they adhere to the government’s strict instructions. Results: Out of the 2958 participants in the survey, 23% washed their hands for between 20 and 30 s, 59.6% washed their hands after shaking hands with other people, 67.9% washed their hands after use of other’s utilities, 65.9% had appropriately followed the MOH recommended guidelines for home quarantine and social distancing. People in different age groups differed significantly on their practiced hygienic practices score p < 0.001. Respondents’ educational level had converged considerably and positively on their clean proper prevention practices score, f(2838.3) = 15.70. Conclusion: The majority of the participants adhere to the strict government instructions regarding COVID-19 as they have to obey the law. Health sector employees measured significantly greater hygienic preventive measures and precautions in comparison to other sectors. More public health efforts should increase hygienic best practice scores to achieve the best outcome.
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Liu S, Yeung TLM, Tso EYK, Fung KSC, Tang EWH, Li KKW. Conjunctival carriage of SARS-CoV-2 using serial sampling: risk factors and protective factors. Can J Ophthalmol 2021; 56:340-342. [PMID: 33516646 PMCID: PMC7836793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2021.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong; Department of Ophthalmology, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong
| | - Tiffany Lok Man Yeung
- Department of Ophthalmology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong; Department of Ophthalmology, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong
| | - Eugene Yuk Keung Tso
- Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong
| | - Kitty Sau Chung Fung
- Department of Pathology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong
| | - Emily Wai Ho Tang
- Department of Ophthalmology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong; Department of Ophthalmology, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong
| | - Kenneth Kai Wang Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, United Christian Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong; Department of Ophthalmology, Tseung Kwan O Hospital, Kowloon East Cluster, Hong Kong.
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Beale S, Johnson AM, Zambon M, Hayward AC, Fragaszy EB. Hand Hygiene Practices and the Risk of Human Coronavirus Infections in a UK Community Cohort. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 5:98. [PMID: 34250260 PMCID: PMC8243225 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15796.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hand hygiene may mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in community settings; however, empirical evidence is limited. Given reports of similar transmission mechanisms for COVID-19 and seasonal coronaviruses, we investigated whether hand hygiene impacted the risk of acquiring seasonal coronavirus infections. Methods: Data were drawn from three successive winter cohorts (2006-2009) of the England-wide Flu Watch study. Participants ( n=1633) provided baseline estimates of hand hygiene behaviour. Coronavirus infections were identified from nasal swabs using RT-PCR. Poisson mixed models estimated the effect of hand hygiene on personal risk of coronavirus illness, both unadjusted and adjusted for confounding by age and healthcare worker status. Results: Moderate-frequency handwashing (6-10 times per day) predicted a lower personal risk of coronavirus infection (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) =0.64, p=0.04). There was no evidence for a dose-response effect of handwashing, with results for higher levels of hand hygiene (>10 times per day) not significant (aIRR =0.83, p=0.42). Conclusions: This is the first empirical evidence that regular handwashing can reduce personal risk of acquiring seasonal coronavirus infection. These findings support clear public health messaging around the protective effects of hand washing in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Beale
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
| | | | - Maria Zambon
- Public Health England, London, EC4Y 8AE, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Flu Watch Group
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
- UCL Institute of Global Health, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
- Public Health England, London, EC4Y 8AE, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Andrew C. Hayward
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
| | - Ellen B. Fragaszy
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Álvarez-Pomar L, Rojas-Galeano S. Impact of Personal Protection Habits on the Spread of Pandemics: Insights from an Agent-Based Model. ScientificWorldJournal 2021; 2021:6616654. [PMID: 33859542 PMCID: PMC8028727 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6616654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After several waves of spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world are struggling to regain their economies by slowly lifting mobility restrictions and social distance measures applied during the crisis. Meanwhile, recent studies provide compelling evidence on how contact distancing, the use of face masks, and handwashing habits can reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this context, we investigated the effect that these personal protection habits can have in preventing new waves of contagion. METHODS We extended an agent-based COVID-19 epidemic model in a simulated community to incorporate the mechanisms of these aforementioned personal care habits and measure their incidence in person-to-person transmission. A full factorial experiment design was performed to illustrate the extent to which the interplay between these personal habits is effective in mitigating the spread of disease. A global sensitivity analysis was performed on the parameters that control these habits to further validate the results. RESULTS We found that observing physical distance is the dominant habit in reducing disease transmission, although adopting either or both of the other two habits is necessary to some extent to suppress a new outbreak entirely. When physical distance is not observed, adherence to the use of masks or handwashing has a significant decrease in infections and mortality, but the epidemic still unfolds. We also found that in all scenarios, the combined effect of adhering to the three habits is more powerful than adopting them separately. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that a broad adherence of the population to voluntary self-care habits would help contain unfold of new outbreaks. The purpose of our model is illustrative and contributes to ratify the importance of urging citizens to adopt the amalgam of personal care habits as a primary collective protection measure to prevent communities from returning to confinements, while immunisation is carried out in late stages of the pandemic.
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Stallmach A, Sturm A, Dignass A, Kucharzik T, Blumenstein I, Helwig U, Koletzko S, Lynen P, Schmidt C. Addendum to S3-Guidelines Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: Management of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the COVID-19 Pandemic – open questions and answers. Z Gastroenterol 2020; 58:982-1002. [PMID: 33036052 DOI: 10.1055/a-1234-8079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic is a global outbreak of new onset infections with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. To date, more than 3.4 million people have been infected throughout the world. In Germany, approximately 450,000 patients suffer from inflammatory bowel disease; these patients generally require continuous expert care and support. Against the background of a rapidly accumulating knowledge base on SARS-CoV-2, 68 expert authors of the current DGVS guidelines for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis took part in a virtual meeting to compile up-to-date, practice-orientated recommendations aimed at improving the care of patients with IBD. These recommendations address the risk of infection, including the risk for specific patient groups, the possible course of the disease, and consequences for pharmacological and surgical therapies of the underlying disease, as well as general measures for infection prevention and adjuvant prophylactic and therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Stallmach
- Klinik für Innere Medizin IV (Gastroenterologie, Infektiologie und Hepatologie), Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena
| | - Andreas Sturm
- Klinik für Innere Medizin, Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, DRK Kliniken Berlin
- Westend, Berlin
| | - Axel Dignass
- Medizinische Klinik I, Agaplesion Markus Krankenhaus, Frankfurt
| | - Torsten Kucharzik
- Klinik für Innere Medizin, Gastroenterologie, Klinikum Lüneburg, Lüneburg
| | - Irina Blumenstein
- Medizinische Klinik 1 (Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Pneumologie und Allergologie, Endokrinologie und Diabetologie sowie Ernährungsmedizin), Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt
| | - Ulf Helwig
- Internistische Praxengemeinschaft Oldenburg, Oldenburg
| | - Sibylle Koletzko
- Kinderklinik und Kinderpoliklinik im Dr. von Hauner Kinderspital, LMU Klinikum der Universität München, München
| | - Petra Lynen
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gastroenterologie, Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen, Berlin
| | - Carsten Schmidt
- Medizinische Klinik II (Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie, Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Infektiologie), Klinikum Fulda, Universitätsmedizin Marburg – Campus Fulda, Fulda
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Stallmach A, Sturm A, Blumenstein I, Helwig U, Koletzko S, Lynen P, Schmidt C, Dignaß A, Kucharzik T. [Addendum to S3-Guidelines Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: Management of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the COVID-19 Pandemic - open questions and answers]. Z Gastroenterol 2020; 58:672-692. [PMID: 32659830 PMCID: PMC7416209 DOI: 10.1055/a-1193-5475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Die COVID-19-Pandemie ist ein weltweiter Ausbruch von neu aufgetretenen Infektionen mit dem SARS-CoV-2-Virus, von denen weltweit derzeit mehr als 10.670.000 Menschen erkrankt sind bzw. waren. In Deutschland leiden ca. 450.000 Patienten an einer chronisch entzündlichen Darmerkrankung; diese Patienten benötigen in der Regel eine kontinuierliche und kompetente Betreuung. Vor dem Hintergrund eines rasch zunehmenden Wissenszuwachses haben 68 Experten, die die derzeit gültigen Leitlinien der DGVS zum Morbus Crohn und zur Colitis ulcerosa erstellt haben, im Rahmen einer virtuellen Konferenz aktuelle und praxisnahe Empfehlungen formuliert, um die Versorgung von CED-Patienten zu verbessern. Diese adressieren das Infektionsrisiko einschließlich des Risikos für besondere Gruppen, den möglichen Verlauf der Erkrankung und die Konsequenzen für die medikamentöse und die operative Therapie der Grunderkrankung sowie allgemeine Maßnahmen zur Infektionsprävention und adjuvante Präventions- und Therapiemöglichkeiten.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Stallmach
- Klinik für Innere Medizin IV (Gastroenterologie, Infektiologie und Hepatologie), Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena
| | - Andreas Sturm
- Klinik für Innere Medizin, Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, DRK Kliniken Berlin | Westend, Berlin
| | - Irina Blumenstein
- Medizinische Klinik 1 (Gastroenterologie und Hepatologie, Pneumologie und Allergologie, Endokrinologie und Diabetologie sowie Ernährungsmedizin), Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt
| | - Ulf Helwig
- Internistische Praxengemeinschaft Oldenburg, Oldenburg
| | - Sibylle Koletzko
- Kinderklinik und Kinderpoliklinik im Dr. von Hauner Kinderspital, LMU Klinikum der Universität München, München
| | - Petra Lynen
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gastroenterologie, Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselerkrankungen, Berlin
| | - Carsten Schmidt
- Medizinische Klinik II (Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie, Endokrinologie, Diabetologie und Infektiologie), Klinikum Fulda, Universitätsmedizin Marburg - Campus Fulda, Fulda
| | - Axel Dignaß
- Medizinische Klinik I, Agaplesion Markus Krankenhaus, Frankfurt
| | - Torsten Kucharzik
- Klinik für Innere Medizin Gastroenterologie, Klinikum Lüneburg, Lüneburg
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Beale S, Johnson AM, Zambon M, Hayward AC, Fragaszy EB. Hand Hygiene Practices and the Risk of Human Coronavirus Infections in a UK Community Cohort. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:98. [PMID: 34250260 PMCID: PMC8243225 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15796.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Hand hygiene may mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in community settings; however, empirical evidence is limited. Given reports of similar transmission mechanisms for COVID-19 and seasonal coronaviruses, we investigated whether hand hygiene impacted the risk of acquiring seasonal coronavirus infections. Methods: Data were drawn from three successive winter cohorts (2006-2009) of the England-wide Flu Watch study. Participants ( n=1633) provided baseline estimates of hand hygiene behaviour. Coronavirus infections were identified from nasal swabs using RT-PCR. Poisson mixed models estimated the effect of hand hygiene on personal risk of coronavirus illness, both unadjusted and adjusted for confounding by age and healthcare worker status. Results: Moderate-frequency handwashing (6-10 times per day) predicted a lower personal risk of coronavirus infection (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) =0.64, p=0.04). There was no evidence for a dose-response effect of handwashing, with results for higher levels of hand hygiene (>10 times per day) not significant (aIRR =0.83, p=0.42). Conclusions: This is the first empirical evidence that regular handwashing can reduce personal risk of acquiring seasonal coronavirus infection. These findings support clear public health messaging around the protective effects of hand washing in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Beale
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
| | | | - Maria Zambon
- Public Health England, London, EC4Y 8AE, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
| | - Flu Watch Group
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
- UCL Institute of Global Health, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
- Public Health England, London, EC4Y 8AE, UK
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Respiratory Infections, Imperial College London, London, W2 1PG, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Andrew C. Hayward
- UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, UCL, London, WC1E 7HB, UK
| | - Ellen B. Fragaszy
- UCL Public Health Data Science Research Group, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, London, NW1 2DA, UK
- Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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