Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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Considerable debates about the general community use of face masks for protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stemmed out from differing views taken by health authorities. Misconceptions and stigmatization towards the use of face masks may hinder the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ In contrast, authorities that recommended against the community use of masks mainly cited shortage of supplies, the argument that the public do not have the adequate skills to wear them, or that wearing masks might reduce compliance with other important behaviors. We suggest promoting effective behavioral changes in personal protective measures by teaching microbiological knowledge instead of just listing out the "do's-and-don'ts."
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We aimed to further clarify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. ⋯ A portion of asymptomatic individuals were capable of transmitting the virus to others. Given the frequency and potential infectiousness of asymptomatic infections, testing of traced contacts is essential. Studies of the impact of treatment of asymptomatic RT-PCR+ individuals on disease progression and transmission should be undertaken.
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This study aimed to develop mortality-prediction models for patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). ⋯ We developed 2 predictive models for the in-hospital mortality of patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan that were validated in patients from another center.
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly worldwide. Given scarce resources, nonlaboratory diagnostics are crucial. In this cross-sectional study, two-thirds of European patients with confirmed COVID-19 reported olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, indicating the significance of these symptoms in early diagnostics.
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Healthcare workers (HCWs) at the frontline are facing a substantial risk of infection during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. ⋯ The infection risk of HCWs is clearly higher than that of non-HCWs. HCWs play an essential role in fighting the pandemic. The analysis of the infection status of HCWs is essential to attract enough attention from the public, provide effective suggestions for government agencies, and improve protective measures for HCWs.