The impact of social distancing on conjunctivitis cases—a retrospective single-center observation report

Background: Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist hypothesized to blunt the uncontrolled immune response, cytokine release syndrome, in severe COVID-19 and prevent attributable morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of tocilizumab on clinical outcomes in COVID-19-associated cytokine release syndrome. Methods: Single-center, retrospective cohort study assessing sixty-nine adult patients receiving tocilizumab for suspected COVID-19 cytokine release syndrome. The primary outcome was change in WHO clinical status scale on day seven post-dose analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Secondary outcomes assessed impact of timing of administration on clinical outcome. Safety analyses included development of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, transaminitis, and sepsis within 7 days post-dose. Statistical analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel. Results: No aggregate clinical change was found between day 0 and day 7. Eleven patients improved, twenty-seven worsened, and thirty-one showed no change. Clinical outcomes were weakly correlated with time from symptom onset (rs = 0.21; p = 0.08) or hospital admission (rs = -0.08; p = 0.49) to dose. In-hospital mortality was 63%. Sepsis was diagnosed in 21 patients, five of which were post-dose. Transaminitis, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia occurred in seven, one, and six patients, respectively. Conclusion: Tocilizumab did not appear to influence clinical outcomes in our study population, irrespective of timing of administration. Adverse events were not considered drug-related.

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Beyond the Pandemic: COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Face of Life

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115645 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5645

Author(s):

Shaden A. M. Khalifa ◽

Mahmoud M. Swilam ◽

Aida A. Abd El-Wahed ◽

Ming Du ◽

Haged H. R. El-Seedi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Activities ◽

Social Life ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Population Movements ◽

Social Distancing ◽

The Face ◽

The Impact ◽

Positive Impacts

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious challenge for societies around the globe as entire populations have fallen victim to the infectious spread and have taken up social distancing. In many countries, people have had to self-isolate and to be confined to their homes for several weeks to months to prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing measures have had both negative and positive impacts on various aspects of economies, lifestyles, education, transportation, food supply, health, social life, and mental wellbeing. On other hands, due to reduced population movements and the decline in human activities, gas emissions decreased and the ozone layer improved; this had a positive impact on Earth’s weather and environment. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic has negative effects on human activities and positive impacts on nature. This study discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on different life aspects including the economy, social life, health, education, and the environment.

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The impact of quarantine on Covid-19 infections

Epidemiologic Methods ◽

10.1515/em-2020-0038 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (s1) ◽

Author(s):

Pablo Marshall

Keyword(s):

Health System ◽

Infection Rate ◽

District Level ◽

Infection Model ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Lower Infection ◽

The Impact ◽

Lower Infection Rate ◽

Over Time

Abstract Objectives: Coronavirushas had profound effects on people’s lives and the economy of many countries, generating controversy between the need to establish quarantines and other social distancing measures to protect people’s health and the need to reactivate the economy. This study proposes and applies a modification of the SIR infection model to describe the evolution of coronavirus infections and to measure the effect of quarantine on the number of people infected. Methods: Two hypotheses, not necessarily mutually exclusive, are proposed for the impact of quarantines. According to the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate, delaying new infections over time without modifying the total number of people infected at the end of the wave. The second hypothesis establishes that quarantine reduces the population infected in the wave. The two hypotheses are tested with data for a sample of 10 districts in Santiago, Chile. Results: The results of applying the methodology show that the proposed model describes well the evolution of infections at the district level. The data shows evidence in favor of the first hypothesis, quarantine reduces the infection rate; and not in favor of the second hypothesis, that quarantine reduces the population infected. Districts of higher socio-economic levels have a lower infection rate, and quarantine is more effective. Conclusions: Quarantine, in most districts, does not reduce the total number of people infected in the wave; it only reduces the rate at which they are infected. The reduction in the infection rate avoids peaks that may collapse the health system.

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Intra-aortic balloon pump as a bridge therapy to heart transplant in refractory heart failure

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.1234 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

G.A.B Boros ◽

V.S.C Bellini ◽

D Fatori ◽

C Bernoche ◽

M.F Macatrao-Costa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Intensive Care ◽

Heart Transplant ◽

Insertion Site ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Central Venous Oxygen Saturation ◽

Single Center ◽

Intra Aortic Balloon Pump ◽

The Impact ◽

Bridge Therapy

Abstract Background The role of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in advanced heart failure (HF) treatment is still under debate. Some heart transplant (HTx) candidates on the waiting list require mechanical support, and IABP may be the simple and most available device. Purpose Describe the impact of IABP treatment in advanced HF patients who underwent HTx. Methods We retrospectively analysis patients who underwent HTx from a single center intensive care unit (ICU), between 2009 and 2018, to evaluate the use of IABP as bridge therapy. Selection included decompensated chronic HF patients that required intensive care with optimized intravenous drugs before IABP placement. Exclusion criteria were acute myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery 90 days prior to admission, and implant of ventricular assist device before HTx. Results We included 134 HF patients with IABP therapy before HTx. Insertion site was exclusively femoral. Mean time of IABP onset to HTx were 26±21 days, and hospital admission to HTx 65±45 days. The main cardiomyopathy etiology was Chagas Disease (46%) and mean LVEF was 23±6% (TABLE 1). Clinical and laboratory data were compared before and 96 hours after IABP therapy. Mean central venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) increased from 49.7±14.6% to 67.4±11.3% (p<0.001), creatinine decreased from 1.77±0.9 mg/dL to 1.40±0.6 mg/dL (p<0.001), and urine output increased from 1552±886 mL/24h to 2189±1029 mL/24h (p<0.001). These differences were sustained or improved until the day before HTx (FIGURE 1). After 96 hours dobutamine was maintained in 98% of patients, nitroprusside increased from 56% to 67%, milrinone decreased from 26% to 20%, and norepinephrine decreased from 18% to 3%. Significant IABP complications were few (5.2%; n=7: 3 infections, 2 major bleeding, 2 arterial injury). Conclusion In this single center ICU sample, IABP improved hemodynamic status and renal function in refractory HF patients waiting for HTx. IABP can be a reasonable, available and effective bridging therapy. Figure 1 Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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The Effects of Social Distancing Policies on non-SARS-CoV-2 Respiratory Pathogens

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofab133 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jeff Nawrocki ◽

Katherine Olin ◽

Martin C Holdrege ◽

Joel Hartsell ◽

Lindsay Meyers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Influenza A ◽

Detection Rate ◽

Respiratory Illness ◽

Respiratory Pathogens ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Detection Rates ◽

Social Distancing ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The initial focus of the US public health response to COVID-19 was the implementation of numerous social distancing policies. While COVID-19 was the impetus for imposing these policies, it is not the only respiratory disease affected by their implementation. This study aimed to assess the impact of social distancing policies on non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory pathogens typically circulating across multiple US states. Methods Linear mixed-effect models were implemented to explore the effects of five social distancing policies on non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory pathogens across nine states from January 1 through May 1, 2020. The observed 2020 pathogen detection rates were compared week-by-week to historical rates to determine when the detection rates were different. Results Model results indicate that several social distancing policies were associated with a reduction in total detection rate, by nearly 15%. Policies were associated with decreases in pathogen circulation of human rhinovirus/enterovirus and human metapneumovirus, as well as influenza A, which typically decrease after winter. Parainfluenza viruses failed to circulate at historical levels during the spring. Total detection rate in April 2020 was 35% less than historical average. Many of the pathogens driving this difference fell below historical detection rate ranges within two weeks of initial policy implementation. Conclusion This analysis investigated the effect of multiple social distancing policies implemented to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 on non-SARS-CoV-2 respiratory pathogens. These findings suggest that social distancing policies may be used as an impactful public health tool to reduce communicable respiratory illness.

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Mining Google and Apple mobility data: temporal anatomy for COVID-19 social distancing

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83441-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Corentin Cot ◽

Giacomo Cacciapaglia ◽

Francesco Sannino

Keyword(s):

Infection Rate ◽

The United States ◽

Strong Decrease ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Mobility Data ◽

Actual Measure ◽

The Us ◽

The Impact ◽

Political Decisions ◽

Mobility Reduction

AbstractWe employ the Google and Apple mobility data to identify, quantify and classify different degrees of social distancing and characterise their imprint on the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and in the United States. We identify the period of enacted social distancing via Google and Apple data, independently from the political decisions. Our analysis allows us to classify different shades of social distancing measures for the first wave of the pandemic. We observe a strong decrease in the infection rate occurring two to five weeks after the onset of mobility reduction. A universal time scale emerges, after which social distancing shows its impact. We further provide an actual measure of the impact of social distancing for each region, showing that the effect amounts to a reduction by 20–40% in the infection rate in Europe and 30–70% in the US.

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An adaptive social distancing SIR model for COVID-19 disease spreading and forecasting

Epidemiologic Methods ◽

10.1515/em-2020-0044 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (s1) ◽

Author(s):

Said Gounane ◽

Yassir Barkouch ◽

Abdelghafour Atlas ◽

Mostafa Bendahmane ◽

Fahd Karami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Theory ◽

Real Data ◽

Sir Model ◽

Epidemic Threshold ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Sir Epidemic ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Disease Spreading ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

Abstract Recently, various mathematical models have been proposed to model COVID-19 outbreak. These models are an effective tool to study the mechanisms of coronavirus spreading and to predict the future course of COVID-19 disease. They are also used to evaluate strategies to control this pandemic. Generally, SIR compartmental models are appropriate for understanding and predicting the dynamics of infectious diseases like COVID-19. The classical SIR model is initially introduced by Kermack and McKendrick (cf. (Anderson, R. M. 1991. “Discussion: the Kermack–McKendrick Epidemic Threshold Theorem.” Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 53 (1): 3–32; Kermack, W. O., and A. G. McKendrick. 1927. “A Contribution to the Mathematical Theory of Epidemics.” Proceedings of the Royal Society 115 (772): 700–21)) to describe the evolution of the susceptible, infected and recovered compartment. Focused on the impact of public policies designed to contain this pandemic, we develop a new nonlinear SIR epidemic problem modeling the spreading of coronavirus under the effect of a social distancing induced by the government measures to stop coronavirus spreading. To find the parameters adopted for each country (for e.g. Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Algeria and Morocco) we fit the proposed model with respect to the actual real data. We also evaluate the government measures in each country with respect to the evolution of the pandemic. Our numerical simulations can be used to provide an effective tool for predicting the spread of the disease.

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The Impact of Work Characteristics on Social Distancing: Implications at the Time of COVID-19

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5074

Author(s):

Keisuke Kokubun ◽

Yoshinori Yamakawa

Keyword(s):

Information Processing ◽

Multiple Regression ◽

Explanatory Power ◽

Work Conditions ◽

Multiple Regression Model ◽

Social Characteristics ◽

Work Characteristics ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Using Data ◽

The Impact

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread globally. While social distancing has attracted attention as a measure to prevent the spread of infection, some occupations find it difficult to implement. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between work characteristics and social distancing using data available on O*NET, an occupational information site. A total of eight factors were extracted by performing an exploratory factor analysis: work conditions, supervisory work, information processing, response to aggression, specialization, autonomy, interaction outside the organization, and interdependence. A multiple regression analysis showed that interdependence, response to aggression, and interaction outside the organization, which are categorized as ”social characteristics,” and information processing and specialization, which are categorized as “knowledge characteristics,” were associated with physical proximity. Furthermore, we added customer, which represents contact with the customer, and remote working, which represents a small amount of outdoor activity, to our multiple regression model, and confirmed that they increased the explanatory power of the model. This suggests that those who work under interdependence, face aggression, and engage in outside activities, and/or have frequent contact with customers, little interaction outside the organization, and little information processing will have the most difficulty in maintaining social distancing.

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PIN74 The Impact of Social Distancing on Sars-COV-2 Mortality: A US Analysis

Value in Health ◽

10.1016/j.jval.2020.08.915 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 ◽

pp. S557

Author(s):

A. Gurubaran ◽

C. Holy ◽

S. Shah ◽

B. Nandi ◽

H. Dwarakanathan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Distancing ◽

The Impact

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Impact of Cardiovascular Failure in Intensive CareUnit-Acquired Pneumonia: A Single-Center, Prospective Study

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10070798 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 798

Author(s):

Ignacio Martin-Loeches ◽

Adrian Ceccato ◽

Marco Carbonara ◽

Gianluigi li Bassi ◽

Pierluigi di Natale ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cox Regression ◽

University Hospital ◽

Single Center ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Cardiovascular Failure ◽

Icu Length Of Stay ◽

Patients At Risk ◽

Surgical Icus ◽

Pulmonary Superinfection ◽

The Impact

Background: Cardiovascular failure (CVF) may complicate intensive care unit-acquired pneumonia (ICUAP) and radically alters the empirical treatment of this condition. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of CVF on outcome in patients with ICUAP. Methods: A prospective, single-center, observational study was conducted in six medical and surgical ICUs at a University Hospital. CVS was defined as a score of 3 or more on the cardiovascular component of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. At the onset of ICUAP, CVF was reported as absent, transient (if lasting ≤ 3 days) or persistent (>3 days). The primary outcome was 90-day mortality modelled through a Cox regression analysis. Secondary outcomes were 28-day mortality, hospital mortality, ICU length of stay (LOS) and hospital LOS. Results: 358 patients were enrolled: 203 (57%) without CVF, 82 (23%) with transient CVF, and 73 (20%) with persistent CVF. Patients with transient and persistent CVF were more severely ill and presented higher inflammatory response than those without CVF. Despite having similar severity and aetiology, the persistent CVF group more frequently received inadequate initial antibiotic treatment and presented more treatment failures than the transient CVF group. In the persistent CVF group, at day 3, a bacterial superinfection was more frequently detected. The 90-day mortality was significantly higher in the persistent CVF group (62%). The 28-day mortality rates for patients without CVF, with transient and with persistent CVF were 19, 35 and 41% respectively and ICU mortality was 60, 38 and 19% respectively. In the multivariate analysis chronic pulmonary conditions, lack of Pa02/FiO2 improvement at day 3, pulmonary superinfection at day 3 and persistent CVF were independently associated with 90-day mortality in ICUAP patients. Conclusions: Persistent CVF has a significant impact on the outcome of patients with ICUAP. Patients at risk from persistent CVF should be promptly recognized to optimize treatment and outcomes.

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