Background
The recently emerged novel coronavirus, “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2)”, caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). It has severely damaged the world's most developed countries and has turned into a major threat for low‐ and middle‐income countries. Since its emergence in late 2019, medical interventions have been substantial, and most countries relied on public health measures collectively known as nonpharmaceutical interventions.
Aims
To centralize the accumulative knowledge on non‐pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against COVID‐19 for each country under one worldwide consortium.
Methods
International COVID‐19 Research Network collaborators developed a cross‐sectional online‐survey to assess the implications of NPIs and sanitary supply on incidence and mortality of COVID‐19. Survey was conducted between January 1 and February 1, 2021, and participants from 92 countries/territories completed it. The association between NPIs, sanitation supplies and incidence and mortality were examined by multivariate regression, with log‐transformed value of population as an offset value.
Results
Majority of countries/territories applied several preventive strategies including social distancing (100.0%), quarantine (100.0%), isolation (98.9%), and school closure (97.8%). Individual‐level preventive measures such as personal hygiene (100.0%) and wearing facial mask (94.6% at hospital; 93.5% at mass transportation; 91.3% in mass gathering facilities) were also frequently applied. Quarantine at a designated place was negatively associated with incidence and mortality compared to home quarantine. Isolation at a designated place was also associated with reduced mortality compared to home isolation. Recommendations to use sanitizer for personal hygiene reduced incidence compared to recommendation to use soap did. Deprivation of mask was associated with increased incidence. Higher incidence and mortality were found in countries/territories with higher economic level. Mask deprivation was pervasive regardless of economic level.
Conclusion
NPIs against COVID‐19 such as using sanitizer, quarantine, and isolation can decrease incidence and mortality of COVID‐19.
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Importance Georgia experienced an increase in maternal mortality (MM) during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, which warrants further investigation.Objective This study aimed to assess associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and MM, post-delivery intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and caesarean section (CS) delivery.Methods We performed a national birth registry-based cohort study including pregnant women who delivered between February 28, 2020 and August 31, 2022. Data was linked with Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing, vital, and immunization registries. Pregnant women were classified into three groups: confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from conception through 31 days before delivery, confirmed infection in the 30 days before or at delivery, and women negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection or without any test results (reference group). Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results Among 111,278 pregnant women, 16,661 had confirmed infection during pregnancy; 7,304 were fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Compared to the reference group, those with confirmed infection in the 30 days before or at delivery experienced increased odds of MM (aOR: 45.5, 95% CI, 23.1–89.3), post-delivery ICU admission (aOR: 5.62, 95% CI, 4.37–7.22), and CS delivery (aOR: 1.12, 95% CI, 1.03–1.21).Conclusions Hence, pregnant women in Georgia with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in the 30 days before or at delivery conferred an alarmingly higher risk of MM and post-delivery ICU admission. Additionally, results highlight that most women were not vaccinated against COVID-19. These findings should signal to stakeholders that adherence to public health preventive measures needs to be improved.
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