scholarly journals Symptomatic and asymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 schools, British Columbia, April to June 2021

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Choi ◽  
Louise Masse ◽  
Samantha Bardwell ◽  
Yanjie Zhao ◽  
Yang Xin Zi Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Secondary Transmission ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Close Contacts

We prospectively studied SARS-CoV-2 transmission at schools in an era of Variants of Concern (VoCs), offering all close contacts serial viral asymptomatic testing up to 14 days. Of 229 school close contacts, 3 tested positive (1.3%), of which 2 were detected through asymptomatic testing. Most secondary transmission (90%) occurred in households. Routine asymptomatic testing of close contacts should be examined in the context of local testing rates, preventive measures, programmatic costs, and health impacts of asymptomatic transmission.

scholarly journals Outpatient Management of COVID-19 Disease: A Holistic Patient-Centered Proposal Based on the Greek Experience

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 709
Author(s):  
Adamantia Liapikou ◽  
Eleni Tzortzaki ◽  
Georgios Hillas ◽  
Miltiadis Markatos ◽  
Ilias C. Papanikolaou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Guidance Document ◽  
Outpatient Management ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Mild Disease ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Close Contacts

Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a worldwide pandemic and affected more than 227 countries or territories, resulting in more than 179 million cases with over 3.890.00 deaths, as of June 25, 2021. The Hellenic Thoracic Society (HTS) during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic released a guidance document for the management of patients with COVID-19 in the community and in hospital setting. In this review, with guidance the HTS document, we are discussing the outpatient management of COVID-19 patients, including the preventive measures, the patients’ isolation and quarantine criteria of close contacts, the severity and risk stratification, including the decisions for advanced hospitalization, and the disease management at home in patients with mild disease and after hospital discharge for those with more severe disease.

scholarly journals Review of the evidence for the use of erythromycin in the management of persons exposed to pertussis

1998 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. DODHIA ◽  
E. MILLER
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Cell Vaccine ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Vulnerable Children ◽  
Secondary Transmission ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Analytical Studies ◽  
Whole Cell Vaccine ◽  
Close Contacts

We assessed the quality of evidence for the use of erythromycin in preventing secondary transmission of pertussis to close contacts of primary cases. A literature search was undertaken and identified papers were reviewed critically. Thirteen original papers and 1 manuscript met the inclusion criteria for review (3 randomized controlled trials, 4 analytical studies and 7 descriptive studies). Evidence from both experimental and analytical studies showed little effect of the use of erythromycin in preventing secondary transmission. Its effect is at best modest when compared with the protection conferred by use of good quality whole cell vaccine. Three studies reported adverse events with erythromycin prophylaxis; these were mainly nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In countries where effective pertussis vaccines are in use, erythromycin use should be confined to close contacts of cases, particularly unimmunized children or partially immunized infants who would be most susceptible to the complications of pertussis, or adults who come into close contact with vulnerable children.

scholarly journals Hemodialysis with Cohort Isolation to Prevent Secondary Transmission during a COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 1398-1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jang-Hee Cho ◽  
Seok Hui Kang ◽  
Hayne Cho Park ◽  
Dong Ki Kim ◽  
Sang-Ho Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Multicenter Cohort Study ◽  
Secondary Transmission ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Health Care Associated Infections ◽  
Close Contacts

Background Health care–associated infections during previous coronavirus epidemics involving severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome resulted from human-to-human transmission in hemodialysis (HD) facilities. The effect of a strategy of HD with cohort isolation—separate dialysis sessions for close contacts of patients with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—on the prevention of secondary transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in HD units is unknown.MethodsOur multicenter cohort study of an HD with cohort isolation strategy enrolled close contacts of patients with confirmed COVID-19, including patients on HD and health care workers in HD units. Close contacts had been identified by epidemiologic investigation and tested negative on an immediate screening test for SARS-CoV-2.ResultsAs of March 14, 11 patients on HD and 7 health care workers from 11 HD centers were diagnosed as having COVID-19. The immediate screening test was performed in 306 people, and among them, 302 close contacts with negative test results were enrolled. HD with cohort isolation was performed among all close contacts for a median of 14 days in seven centers. During cohort isolation, nine patients showed symptoms but tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. Two health care workers in the HD units (0.66% of the total group) were diagnosed at the termination test for SARS-CoV-2.ConclusionsThe transmission of COVID-19 can be controlled without closure of HD centers by implementing preemptive activities, including early detection with rapid testing, cohort isolation, collaboration between institutions, and continuous monitoring of infection. Our strategy and experience may provide helpful guidance for circumstances involving the rapid spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

scholarly journals Impacts of mean annual air temperature change on a regional permafrost probability model for the southern Yukon and northern British Columbia, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 935-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. P. Bonnaventure ◽  
A. G. Lewkowicz
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Probability Model ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Lapse Rate ◽  
Discontinuous Permafrost ◽  
Gain Loss ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Mean Annual Air Temperature

Abstract. Air temperature changes were applied to a regional model of permafrost probability under equilibrium conditions for an area of nearly 0.5 × 106 km2 in the southern Yukon and northwestern British Columbia, Canada. Associated environmental changes, including snow cover and vegetation, were not considered in the modelling. Permafrost extent increases from 58% of the area (present day: 1971–2000) to 76% under a −1 K cooling scenario, whereas warming scenarios decrease the percentage of permafrost area exponentially to 38% (+ 1 K), 24% (+ 2 K), 17% (+ 3 K), 12% (+ 4 K) and 9% (+ 5 K) of the area. The morphology of permafrost gain/loss under these scenarios is controlled by the surface lapse rate (SLR, i.e. air temperature elevation gradient), which varies across the region below treeline. Areas that are maritime exhibit SLRs characteristically similar above and below treeline resulting in low probabilities of permafrost in valley bottoms. When warming scenarios are applied, a loss front moves to upper elevations (simple unidirectional spatial loss). Areas where SLRs are gently negative below treeline and normal above treeline exhibit a loss front moving up-mountain at different rates according to two separate SLRs (complex unidirectional spatial loss). Areas that display high continentally exhibit bidirectional spatial loss in which the loss front moves up-mountain above treeline and down-mountain below treeline. The parts of the region most affected by changes in MAAT (mean annual air temperature) have SLRs close to 0 K km−1 and extensive discontinuous permafrost, whereas the least sensitive in terms of areal loss are sites above the treeline where permafrost presence is strongly elevation dependent.

Active slide in Tertiary bentonitic claystones, Upper Hat Creek, British Columbia

1986 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. E. Rawlings
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Back Analysis ◽  
Panama Canal ◽  
Open Pit ◽  
Failure Plane ◽  
Debris Slide ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Engineering Significance ◽  
Potential Exploitation

Potential exploitation of the 500 m thick coal deposit at Upper Hat Creek, British Columbia, required detailed investigation of the sequence of Tertiary tuffaceous rocks surrounding the coal and the overlying surficial materials. Studies have shown that extensive bentonitic slide deposits partially cover the coal body on the west side of Hat Creek valley; part of this area is currently active. A translational debris slide of approximately 17 × 106 m3 volume and 2 km length is moving across the northwest boundary of the proposed pit into the valley bottom.Detailed field investigations complemented by laboratory testing have defined the basal plane of sliding and permitted a back-analysis to be made. From measured piezometric pressures, the mobilized shear strength on the failure plane is calculated to be [Formula: see text], cr′ = 0, which is largely in accord with laboratory test results.Slope stability in thick montmorillonite-rich claystones/siltstones is known to present difficulties, as evidenced by the Panama Canal excavations. Consideration is given to the engineering significance of bentonitic slides and preventive measures that might be adopted in their control. Key words: active slide, Tertiary, claystone, montmorillonite, open pit, coal, monitoring, residual strength, piezometric pressures.

scholarly journals Amalgamation of early care and learning and education: a presentation and facilitated discussion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Andrea Maurice
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
School Districts ◽  
Parallel Systems ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Early Care ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Two Systems ◽  
Governance Models ◽  
K 12

The intent of this project to create a presentation and facilitation guide to support School Districts with the amalgamation of early care and learning and education into the same Governmental Ministry. The early care and learning system and the kindergarten-grade 12 (K- 12) systems currently sit in two separate government ministries. The project articulates both the parallel systems of the early care and learning and the K-12 systems and preparation of the amalgamation of the two systems. This project examines the historical differences between the two systems, the rights to access early care and learning and different types of governance models. This project will include a PowerPoint presentation and facilitation guide and can be used, as a template, for School Districts in British Columbia to start the initial discussion of this amalgamation with key stakeholders.

scholarly journals Aeroallergens in Canada: Distribution, Public Health Impacts, and Opportunities for Prevention

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 1577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Sierra-Heredia ◽  
Michelle North ◽  
Jeff Brook ◽  
Christina Daly ◽  
Anne Ellis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Plant Distribution ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Allergies And Asthma

Aeroallergens occur naturally in the environment and are widely dispersed across Canada, yet their public health implications are not well-understood. This review intends to provide a scientific and public health-oriented perspective on aeroallergens in Canada: their distribution, health impacts, and new developments including the effects of climate change and the potential role of aeroallergens in the development of allergies and asthma. The review also describes anthropogenic effects on plant distribution and diversity, and how aeroallergens interact with other environmental elements, such as air pollution and weather events. Increased understanding of the relationships between aeroallergens and health will enhance our ability to provide accurate information, improve preventive measures and provide timely treatments for affected populations.

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