As Omicron Takes Hold and Other New Variants Arise, COVID-19 Testing Remains the Universally Agreed Tool to Effect Transition From Pandemic to Endemic State

Miller, Melissa B.; Ooi, Eng Eong; Rhoads, Daniel D.; Kulldorff, Martin; Anderson, Danielle E.; Lee, Hyukmin; Gupta, Sunetra; Krajden, Mel

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.883066

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Additionally, there were recommendations to delay doses at least 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. 38 While SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction testing in Ontario was limited due to overwhelming case volumes after November 2021, 39 , 40 surveillance studies from other Canadian jurisdictions suggest high pediatric infection rates during that time. 41 …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada

Brandenberger

Duchen

et al. 2023

JAMA Netw Open

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ImportanceCOVID-19 vaccinations are recommended for minors. Surveys indicate lower vaccine acceptance by some immigrant and refugee groups.ObjectiveTo identify characteristics in immigrant, refugee, and nonimmigrant minors associated with vaccination.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cohort study used linked, population-based demographic and health care data from Ontario, Canada, including all children aged 4 to 17 years registered for universal health insurance on January 1, 2021, across 2 distinct campaigns: for adolescents (ages 12-17 years), starting May 23, 2021, and for children (ages 5-11 years), starting November 25, 2021, through April 24, 2022. Data were analyzed from May 9 to August 2, 2022.ExposuresImmigrant or refugee status and immigration characteristics (recency, category, region of origin, and generation).Main Outcomes and MeasuresOutcomes of interest were crude rates of COVID-19 vaccination (defined as ≥1 vaccination for children and ≥2 vaccinations for adolescents) and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs for vaccination, adjusted for clinical, sociodemographic, and health system factors.ResultsThe total cohort included 2.2 million children and adolescents, with 1 098 749 children (mean [SD] age, 7.06 [2.00] years; 563 388 [51.3%] males) and 1 142 429 adolescents (mean [SD] age, 14.00 [1.99] years; 586 617 [51.3%] males). Among children, 53 090 (4.8%) were first-generation and 256 886 (23.4%) were second-generation immigrants or refugees; among adolescents, 104 975 (9.2%) were first-generation and 221 981 (19.4%) were second-generation immigrants or refugees, most being economic or family-class immigrants. Immigrants, particularly refugees, were more likely to live in neighborhoods with highest material deprivation (first-generation immigrants: 18.6% of children and 20.2% of adolescents; first-generation refugees: 46.4% of children and 46.3% of adolescents; nonimmigrants: 18.5% of children and 17.2% of adolescents) and COVID-19 risk (first-generation immigrants; 20.0% of children and 20.5% of adolescents; first-generation refugees: 9.4% of children and 12.6% of adolescents; nonimmigrants: 6.9% of children and 6.8% of adolescents). Vaccination rates (53.1% in children and 79.2% in adolescents) were negatively associated with material deprivation. In both age groups, odds for vaccination were higher in immigrants (children: aOR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.27-1.33; adolescents: aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.08-1.12) but lower in refugees (children: aOR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.33-0.36; adolescents: aOR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.91) compared with nonimmigrants. In immigrant- and refugee-only models stratified by generation, region of origin was associated with uptake, compared with the overall rate, with the lowest odds observed in immigrants and refugees from Eastern Europe (children: aOR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.35-0.46; adolescents: aOR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.38-0.43) and Central Africa (children: aOR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.16-0.35; adolescents: aOR, 0.51,CI: 0.45-0.59) and the highest odds observed in immigrants and refugees from Southeast Asia (children: aOR, 2.68; 95% CI, 2.47-2.92; adolescents aOR, 4.42; 95% CI, 4.10-4.77). Adjusted odds of vaccination among immigrants and refugees from regions with lowest vaccine coverage were similar across generations.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cohort study using a population-based sample in Canada, nonrefugee immigrants had higher vaccine coverage than nonimmigrants. Substantial heterogeneity by region of origin and lower vaccination coverage in refugees persisted across generations. These findings suggest that vaccine campaigns need precision public health approaches targeting specific barriers in identified, undervaccinated subgroups.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada

Brandenberger

Duchen

et al. 2023

JAMA Netw Open

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“…However, the following cases may be missed by syndromic surveillance: patients with early stage of the disease, mild infections, atypical symptoms, co-morbidities, extreme age, co-infections, uncommon routes of transmission, and infections from various virus variants. 30 , 50 With the advance in science and technology of viral kinetics of SARS-CoV-2, laboratory testing plays a key role in early case finding (including symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic patients) and guiding risk-adjusted and transmission-based IPC measures. The national laboratory network was established and strengthened through the recruitment of medical centers and regional hospitals distributed throughout most geographical regions of the country in January 2020; later, the network expanded the available testing supply and maximized testing capacity.…”

Section: Sars-cov-2 Pcr Testing Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preventing and controlling intra-hospital spread of COVID-19 in Taiwan – Looking back and moving forward

Lin

Pan

Wang

et al. 2024

Journal of the Formosan Medical Association

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“…SARS-CoV-2 surveillance began with individual-based testing early in the pandemic, using reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to detect viral RNA from nasopharyngeal swabs samples ( 11 , 12 ). Other screening methods have also been employed, such as thermography, antigen rapid tests (ART), and volatile organic compound detection ( 12 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of hospital environmental contamination during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron predominance using a highly sensitive air sampling device

Tan

Ang²,

Tay³

et al. 2023

Front. Public Health

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Background and objectivesThe high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 has exposed weaknesses in our infection control and detection measures, particularly in healthcare settings. Aerial sampling has evolved from passive impact filters to active sampling using negative pressure to expose culture substrate for virus detection. We evaluated the effectiveness of an active air sampling device as a potential surveillance system in detecting hospital pathogens, for augmenting containment measures to prevent nosocomial transmission, using SARS-CoV-2 as a surrogate.MethodsWe conducted air sampling in a hospital environment using the AerosolSenseTM air sampling device and compared it with surface swabs for their capacity to detect SARS-CoV-2.ResultsWhen combined with RT-qPCR detection, we found the device provided consistent SARS-CoV-2 detection, compared to surface sampling, in as little as 2 h of sampling time. The device also showed that it can identify minute quantities of SARS-CoV-2 in designated “clean areas” and through a N95 mask, indicating good surveillance capacity and sensitivity of the device in hospital settings.ConclusionActive air sampling was shown to be a sensitive surveillance system in healthcare settings. Findings from this study can also be applied in an organism agnostic manner for surveillance in the hospital, improving our ability to contain and prevent nosocomial outbreaks.

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As Omicron Takes Hold and Other New Variants Arise, COVID-19 Testing Remains the Universally Agreed Tool to Effect Transition From Pandemic to Endemic State

Cited by 6 publications

References 13 publications

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in Immigrant, Refugee, and Nonimmigrant Children and Adolescents in Ontario, Canada

Preventing and controlling intra-hospital spread of COVID-19 in Taiwan – Looking back and moving forward

Detection of hospital environmental contamination during SARS-CoV-2 Omicron predominance using a highly sensitive air sampling device

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