scholarly journals Effects of Varying Approaches to Lifting COVID-19 Pandemic Restrictions in the United States

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica E Galarraga ◽  
Daniel Popovsky ◽  
Kevin Delijani ◽  
Hannah Hanson ◽  
Mark Hanlon
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Difference In Differences ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Fold Reduction ◽  
Control And Prevention

Background Policy approaches to lifting COVID-19 restrictions have varied significantly across the United States. An evaluation of the effects of state reopening policies on population health outcomes can inform ongoing and future pandemic responses. This study evaluates the approaches to lifting social distancing restrictions based on adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance established during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We performed a retrospective study using difference-in-differences analyses to examine the effects of reopening policies on COVID-19 outcomes with risk-adjustment for population density, temporal changes, and concurrent mask policy implementation. We examined the effects of reopening policies on per capita case rates and rates of severe COVID-19 outcomes, including hospitalizations and deaths. Results Adherence to CDC reopening gating metrics and phased social distancing guidelines resulted in fewer COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Phase one adherent states exhibited a 50-fold reduction in daily new cases and a 3-fold reduction in daily new deaths after reopening. Phase two adherent states experienced improvements in COVID-19 outcomes after reopening, while non-adherent states had a resurgence of worsening outcomes after lifting restrictions. Conclusions Our study findings indicate that adherence to CDC reopening guidance after implementing social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic substantially prevents new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Following a stepwise reopening strategy and ensuring a sustained decline in case rates and test positivity rates before lifting restrictions can mitigate on a large scale the negative effects of a pandemic on population health outcomes.

Public health nurses’ workforce factors and population health outcomes in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 829-836
Author(s):  
Seok Hyun Gwon ◽  
Young Ik Cho ◽  
Soonhwa Paek ◽  
Weiming Ke
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Population Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Nurses

Examining the Relationship Between Incarceration and Population Health: The Roles of Region and Urbanicity

2020 ◽  
pp. 088740342091690
Author(s):  
Robert R. Weidner ◽  
Jennifer Schultz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Geographic Variations ◽  
Collateral Consequences ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Relationship

Among the myriad collateral consequences of the high level of incarceration in the United States is its detrimental effects on public health. Just as there are geographic variations in level of incarceration within the United States, so too are there variations in health outcomes. This study examines the relationship between incarceration rates and population health for a national sample of counties from 2015, with a focus on how this relationship is influenced by both region (South vs. non-South) and whether a jurisdiction is rural. To obtain unbiased estimates of the effect of incarceration rates on two alternate health outcomes, it employs two-stage least-squares modeling, which accounts for the endogeneity of incarceration rates when determining their effect on population health. Results indicate that level of incarceration has a detrimental effect on both mortality (i.e., premature death) and morbidity (i.e., self-reported health), and that these effects are more pronounced in rural and Southern counties. Implications of these findings for both policy and research are considered.

scholarly journals Social Distancing is Effective at Mitigating COVID-19 Transmission in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamada S. Badr ◽  
Hongru Du ◽  
Max Marshall ◽  
Ensheng Dong ◽  
Marietta Squire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Complex Dynamics ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Local Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mobile Phone Data ◽  
Variable Intensity ◽  
Social Distancing

AbstractCOVID-19 is present in every state and over 90 percent of all counties in the United States. Decentralized government efforts to reduce spread, combined with the complex dynamics of human mobility and the variable intensity of local outbreaks makes assessing the effect of large-scale social distancing on COVID-19 transmission in the U.S.a challenge. We generate a novel metric to represent social distancing behavior derived from mobile phone data and examine its relationship with COVID-19 case reports at the county level. Our analysis reveals that social distancing is strongly correlated with decreased COVID-19 case growth rates for the 25 most affected counties in the United States, with a lag period consistent with the incubation time of SARS-CoV-2. We also demonstrate evidence that social distancing was already under way in many U.S. counties before state or local-level policies were implemented. This study strongly supports social distancing as an effective way to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in the United States.

scholarly journals Changes in risk perception and protective behavior during the first week of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby Wise ◽  
Tomislav Damir Zbozinek ◽  
Giorgia Michelini ◽  
Cindy C. Hagan ◽  
dean mobbs
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Protective Behavior ◽  
Protective Behaviors ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Us Government

By mid-March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread to over 100 countries and all 50 states in the US. Government efforts to minimize the spread of disease emphasized behavioral interventions, including raising awareness of the disease and encouraging protective behaviors such as social distancing and hand washing, and seeking medical attention if experiencing symptoms. However, it is unclear to what extent individuals are aware of the risks associated with the disease, how they are altering their behavior, factors which could influence the spread of the virus to vulnerable populations. We characterized risk perception and engagement in preventative measures in 1591 United States based individuals over the first week of the pandemic (March 11th-16th 2020) and examined the extent to which protective behaviors are predicted by individuals’ perception of risk. Over 5 days, subjects demonstrated growing awareness of the risk posed by the virus, and largely reported engaging in protective behaviors with increasing frequency. However, they underestimated their personal risk of infection relative to the average person in the country. We found that engagement in social distancing and handwashing was most strongly predicted by the perceived likelihood of personally being infected, rather than likelihood of transmission or severity of potential transmitted infections. However, substantial variability emerged among individuals, and using data-driven methods we found a subgroup of subjects who are largely disengaged, unaware, and not practicing protective behaviors. Our results have implications for our understanding of how risk perception and protective behaviors can facilitate early interventions during large-scale pandemics.

scholarly journals State-level impact of social distancing and testing on COVID-19 in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihsueh A. Chiu ◽  
Rebecca Fischer ◽  
Martial L. Ndeffo-Mbah
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Disease Incidence ◽  
State Level ◽  
The United States ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Epidemic Curve ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Social distancing measures have been implemented in the United States (US) since March 2020, to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. However, by mid-May most states began relaxing these measures to support the resumption of economic activity, even as disease incidence continued to increase in many states. To evaluate the impact of relaxing social distancing restrictions on COVID-19 dynamics and control in the US, we developed a transmission dynamic model and calibrated it to US state-level COVID-19 cases and deaths from March to June 20th, 2020, using Bayesian methods. We used this model to evaluate the impact of reopening, social distancing, testing, contact tracing, and case isolation on the COVID-19 epidemic in each state. We found that using stay-at-home orders, most states were able to curtail their COVID-19 epidemic curve by reducing and achieving an effective reproductive number below 1. But by June 20th, 2020, only 19 states and the District of Columbia were on track to curtail their epidemic curve with a 75% confidence, at current levels of reopening. Of the remaining 31 states, 24 may have to double their current testing and/or contact tracing rate to curtail their epidemic curve, and seven need to further restrict social contact by 25% in addition to doubling their testing and contact tracing rates. When social distancing restrictions are being eased, greater state-level testing and contact tracing capacity remains paramount for mitigating the risk of large-scale increases in cases and deaths.

Overview of the Current and Potential Effects of COVID-19 on U.S. Animal Shelters

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Szydlowski ◽  
Chelsea Gragg
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Return To Work ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Insecurity ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Animal Shelters ◽  
Parking Lots ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The World

Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, animal shelters in the United States and around the world are experiencing massive increases in adoption and foster rates.  Remaining open as designated essential businesses, these shelters are interviewing adopters in parking lots to maintain social distancing guidelines and watching even long-term or hard-to-adopt residents find permanent homes.  The reasons behind these phenomena are varied, but appear to stem in part from the positive benefits humans feel that they receive from sharing their home with an animal. In addition, many believe that being able to spend more time at home is important when adopting a pet, and COVID-19 has allowed people this opportunity.  This study examines the adoption phenomena through an anthrozoological lens, and identifies the reasons behind this increase in animal adoption as well as the potential negative effects once the COVID crisis is over. If this increase in adoption will continue as people return to work remains to be seen, and experts question whether relinquishment and abandonment rates will skyrocket as the nation faces widespread unemployment and economic insecurity.

scholarly journals Using an Agent-Based Model to Assess K-12 School Reopenings Under Different COVID-19 Spread Scenarios – United States, School Year 2020/21

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy C. Germann ◽  
Manhong Z. Smith ◽  
Lori Dauelsberg ◽  
Geoffrey Fairchild ◽  
Terece L. Turton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
The United States ◽  
Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Los Alamos ◽  
Los Alamos National Laboratory ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Control And Prevention

AbstractSchool-age children play a key role in the spread of airborne viruses like influenza due to the prolonged and close contacts they have in school settings. As a result, school closures and other non-pharmaceutical interventions were recommended as the first line of defense in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Assessing school reopening scenarios is a priority for states, administrators, parents, and children in order to balance educational disparities and negative population impacts of COVID-19. To address this challenge, we used an agent-based model that simulates communities across the United States including daycares, primary, and secondary schools to quantify the relative health outcomes of reopening schools. We explored different reopening scenarios including remote learning, in-person school, and several hybrid options that stratify the student population into cohorts (also referred to as split cohort) in order to reduce exposure and disease spread. In addition, we assessed the combined impact of reduced in-person attendance in workplaces (e.g., through differing degrees of reliance on telework and/or temporary workplace closings) and school reopening scenarios to quantify the potential impact of additional transmission pathways contributing to COVID-19 spread. Scenarios where split cohorts of students return to school in non-overlapping formats resulted in significant decreases in the clinical attack rate (i.e., the percentage of symptomatic individuals), potentially by as much as 75%. These split cohort scenarios have impacts which are only modestly lesser than the most impactful 100% distance learning scenario. Split cohort scenarios can also significantly avert the number of cases–approximately 60M and 28M–depending on the scenario, at the national scale over the simulated eight-month period. We found the results of our simulations to be highly dependent on the number of workplaces assumed to be open for in-person business, as well as the initial level of COVID-19 incidence within the simulated community. Our results show that reducing the number of students attending school leads to better health outcomes, and the split cohort option enables part-time in-classroom education while substantially reducing risk. The results of this study can support decisions regarding optimal school reopening strategies that at the population level balance education and the negative health outcomes of COVID-19.DisclaimerThis work was sponsored by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Los Alamos National Laboratory, an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the United States Department of Energy under contract # 19FED1916814CKC. Approved for public release: LA-UR-20-27982.The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or Los Alamos National Laboratory.

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