Background. The ongoing pandemic of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) draws attention to the significance of molecular and genetic monitoring of the SARS-CoV-2 spread among the population of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of circulation of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants in Russia.Materials and methods. The analysis of the circulation dynamics for SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants in Russia was carried out, covering the period from 28/12/2020 to 26/6/2022. The analysis included the data from Rospotrebnadzor Report No. 970 "Information about Infectious Diseases in Individuals with Suspected Novel Coronavirus Infection" and the Virus Genome Aggregator of Russia (VGARus). The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was confirmed by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The primer panels developed at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology were used for amplification of genomic fragments and the subsequent sequencing.Results and discussion. Using the Russian VGARus platform developed by the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, we received the data on mutational variability of SARS-CoV-2. By monitoring the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variants in Russia from 28/12/2020 to 26/6/2022, we found that Delta and Omicron genetic variants prevailed at different stages of the epidemic.Conclusion. The data of molecular and genetic studies are an essential component of epidemiological surveillance, being critically important for making executive decisions aimed at prevention of further spread of SARS-CoV-2 and laying the groundwork for creating new vaccines.

Background. The ongoing pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) determines the relevance of the analysis of epidemiological patterns of SARS-CoV-2 spread among the population of the Russian Federation.Aim — study of the manifestations of the epidemic process of COVID-19 in the Russian Federation in 2020–2022.Materials and methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of COVID-19 in the Russian Federation was carried out from 03/30/2020 to 04/24/2022. The data from the Rospotrebnadzor report No. 970 “Information on cases of infectious diseases in persons with suspected new coronavirus infection”, information portal Stopcoronavirus.rf, etc. were used. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR.Results and discussion. The analysis of the manifestations of the epidemic process of COVID-19 in the Russian Federation in 2020–2022 showed the presence of two stages which differed depending on the influence of the biological factor and the ongoing anti-epidemic measures. There was a pronounced trend in the development of the epidemic process, starting from megacities (Moscow, Moscow region and St. Petersburg), which are major transport hubs and centers of migration activity of the population, to the regions of the Russian Federation. The SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity has been shown to decrease with each subsequent cycle of the rise in the incidence of COVID-19 against the background of the increased contagiousness of the virus.Conclusion. As a result of the study, risk areas (megacities) and risk groups were identified.

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health problems, but at the same time has become a powerful impetus for the development of new scientific research in the field of epidemiology, clinic of infectious diseases, diagnostics, bioinformatics and digital methods. On the basis of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, new unique test systems for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA based on real-time PCR based on loop isothermal amplification (IT) technology have been developed, which allows you to examine samples 34 times faster than those developed previously. The Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor has developed and put into operation the Russian Platform for Aggregation of Information on Virus Genomes (VGARus). The VGARus database contains information about the nucleotide sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses and their mutations, and the SOLAR Integration Platform has been created to quickly transfer the results of PCR studies to all interested citizens of the Russian Federation. Aims to study the manifestations of the epidemic process of COVID-19 and the prevalence of genovariants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Russian Federation. Methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of COVID-19 was carried out from March 30, 2020 to May 17, 2022 in the Russian Federation. The database was formed on the basis of the materials of the Rospotrebnadzor report form No. 970 Information on cases of infectious diseases in persons with suspected new coronavirus infection, data from the WHO, the domestic information portal Stopkoronavirus.rf and the Yandex DataLens data visualization and analysis service were used, information on SARS-CoV-2 genovariants in the VGARus database. Results. When analyzing the manifestations of the COVID-19 epidemic process in the Russian Federation for 20202022. Two stages have been identified. The first stage was characterized by the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from megacities to other regions of the country and the use of non-specific prevention measures. The beginning of the second was due to the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and a change in its biological properties, followed by a change in the prevailing genovariants on the territory of the Russian Federation. Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was found that with each subsequent increase in the incidence of COVID-19, there was a decrease in the severity of the course and the proportion of pneumonia in the structure of the clinical forms of the disease.

Over the two years of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been an evolution of views in various fields of medicine, which has led to a powerful development of scientific research in the field of epidemiology, clinic, diagnosis and therapy of COVID-19. The article highlights the evolution of views and approaches to the study of the epidemiology and radiology of COVID-19. The data of molecular genetic studies are shown, which are the most important component of epidemiological surveillance. The study of the manifestations of the COVID-19 epidemic process made it possible to distinguish two stages in the development of the epidemiological situation in the Russian Federation. At the first stage of the epidemic, two rises in the incidence rate of the population were recorded, regulated by social and natural factors. The second stage of the epidemic was due to a change in the biological properties of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, followed by a change in the prevailing genovariants (Alpha, Delta and Omicron). At the second stage of the epidemic, three rises in the incidence of the population were recorded. The general principles for the use of radiodiagnosis methods, which are used primarily to detect lung damage in COVID-19, are given. With the accumulation of experience, a natural change in ideas about the algorithms for the use of visualization technologies has occurred.

Objective. Of particular interest is the incidence of COVID-19 in closed groups, in institutions, in particular, in nursing homes, geriatric centers, veterans' homes and neuropsychiatric boarding schools.Methods. Analysis and description of COVID-19 foci in closed long-term care facilities was carried out using literature sources from the MEDLINE medical information database using the PubMed electronic search engine, using the search query CARE HOME OR NURSING HOME OR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY AND COVID-19 AND OUTBREAK. The share of sick people as a percentage of the total number of residents and individual employees was considered only in those publications that described the outbreak of COVID-19 in a single institution. The absence of data on the number of hospitalizations and deaths, symptoms, and data on the time frame of the outbreak was not an exclusion criterion, but their presence was taken into account in the analysis. We selected mainly publications where people with a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA were considered to be ill with COVID-19. However, it is worth considering that the authors describe outbreaks during the first rise in the incidence of COVID-19 in the world, when there was a shortage of test systems for a new coronavirus infection.Results. An overview of the incidence of COVID-19 in the world in closed long-term care institutions is presented. It has been shown that residents of closed communities are elderly people with many concomitant diseases, in connection with which a severe course of COVID-19 and high mortality are often noted.Conclusion. Convictions about the need to strengthen the quality of anti-epidemic measures in closed long-term care institutions, which are at risk, are summarized.